The Nome Nugget

Congress Closes 1st Session With Debates, Speeches

WASHINGTON, (AP) At the stroke of midnight, Monday, the Republican-controlled 83rd Congress wrote finis to a mixed record of action and lethargy in helping President Eisenhower fulfill his campaign pledges.

But the lawmakers left behind for their second session beginning Jan. 6 or a possible special meeting this fall-an imposing list of key measures which will make or break their record.

Many of the hottest potatoes, including some of the President's recommendations, were simply left in the bin. Others, on the advice of the President were handed to study commissions for closer scrutiny.

This first session-of the first Congress in two decades to be Republican - controlled while a Republican was in the White House-made a firm start toward edging away from the Democratic party's New Deal and "Fair Deal" philosophies.

But even Republicans conceded it was only a start-and much of it at that achieved only with Democratic aid.

Eisenhower will give the nation his own estimate of his session's achievements in a radio broadcast Thursday. from 8:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. (EST) to be carried by all major networks.

A special session in October or November was obviously in prospect.

Official windup time for the Senate was midnight. The end came in the House at 10:07. just three minutes before Sen. Morse began a speech in the Senate attacking the Eisenhower administration's power policy.

But the end didn't come in the House before an angry debate over a resolution to open the way for members of Congress to give themselves a pay raise.

In the closing hours that included a pause for tribute to the late Sen. Robert A. Taft, Congress pushed through final agreement on a huge 53½ billion dollar program to finance the spending of the government and the armed services in the year which started July 1.

The bill was trimmed but not enough to balance the budget.

The outlook is that despite the cuts there will be a whopping $5,800,000,000 deficit at the close of the fiscal year.