CONGRESS OPENS

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1930, Page 7

CONGRESS OPENS

SCENES OF CONFUSION COMMUNISTS AT CAPITOL POLICE USE TEARGAS BOMBS MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT LARGE DEFICIT DISCLOSED ■• \ • By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Rec. 7.40 p.m. 7 Washington, Dec. 1. Confusion inside and outside was the keynote of the opening of Congress at noon to-day. A motley horde of 500 Communists, whites, blacks and yellows, men and women, gathered on the Capitol steps with banners and posters bearing inflammatory notices asking for the release of political prisoners. The police fired shots which routed the mob with much excitement. This led to many* melees within the group which the police quelled, using teargas bombs and nightsticks. A girl was seriously injured. Seven demonstrators were arrested.

Meanwhile Congressmen and spectators within were unaware of the trouble outside, but harrassed party leaders endeavoured to work out a programme which could be completed by March 4. The main disturbing factor was the refusal of the Republican floor leader, Mr. Tilson, to give right-of-way to the programme favouring the Progressive faction. He .advocated night sittings in order to avoid a much-dreaded extra session which is looming as possibly unavoidable. Further trouble was caused by the growing move to bar Senator-Elect Davis.

The “feminine bloc” of the House, which numbers nine, were present, all wearing hothouse orchid -blooms.

President Hoover submitted a record peacetime Budget of nearly' £800,000,000 for the fiscal year of 1932. He recommended discontinuing the one per cent, tax cut. The principal Buget items were an additional £20,000,000 for the Farm Board and a large sum for the Shipping Board, war veterans and road building.

In the Senate - the minority leader, Senator Robinson, announced that he would submit a Bill for a £12,000,000 relief loan to farmers in the drought area. President Hoover’s message to Congress dealt principally with domestic affairs, the single outstanding reference to foreign relations being, tho statement: “I shall lay before the Senate in a special message the statutes of the World Court, which have been revised to accord with the sense of the previous Senate reservations.” In an extensive review of the economic depression the President covered. mostly old ground,- blaming the internal inflation of 1928, last summer’s drought and the fall of commodity prices throughout the'world as the causes. In outlining the efforts of the Government to remedy the situation he uttered a warning. “Economic depression cannot be cured by legislative action or an executive pronouncement,” he said. He asked for a co-operative effort to restore the nation to the old level, which economically was 15 to 20 per cent, higher than at present. The remainder of the message was taken up in minimising the amount of unemployment and indicating that the Budget deficit would be £36,000,000 as a result of the depression. Mr. Hoover advocated the continued restriction of immigration and strengthening the deportation of criminal aliens laws.