Opening

Perfunctory was the opening last week of the first regular session of the 71st Congress. The Senate sat only seven minutes. Because of bad weather, elder legislators did not bother to attend. First business on the Senate calendar: the Vare case.

The House meeting lasted 65 minutes, with 392 members responding to the long formal roll-call. Chairman Hawley of the Ways & Means Committee introduced his resolution to reduce by 1% the normal tax rates, the House's prime business. For the first time sound-recording newsreels reported the din and disorder. Representative Sam Hill of Washington hurrying to his House duties slipped on icy pavement, rammed a pipestem through the roof of his mouth, severed an artery.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.