The First (Special) Session of the Sixty-Seventh Congress April 11, 1921—November 23, 1921

Beginning on March 4, 1921, the Republican party, for the first time in ten years, was in complete control of the executive and both branches of Congress. Entirely apart from the issues of party politics, its régime promised to be interesting. Campaign pledges had been made that legislation would be speedily passed relieving the country of the ill effects of what President Harding called “war's involvements;” economy and efficiency were to be secured; more business in government and less government in business were among the promises, and the reorganization of the administration, long talked of, was to be achieved. There were, moreover, two significant possibilities from the standpoint of party government. During the campaign, Mr. Harding said that “government is a simple thing,” and that, if he was elected President, Congress would be allowed to play its proper part under the Constitution.