Bank Blank

Perhaps the greatest danger of growing up is that people expect you to continue acting like a grownup once you have shown you are capable of it. The Congress, after handling the tax cut with some maturity and voting a stout civil rights bill decisively through the House, has acted quickly to restore its previous image and disappoint anyone expecting responsible conduct throughout the rest of the session.

The reversion to earlier form came on a foreign aid vote last week. Chronic optimists might argue that the defeat of a $312 million authorization for an affiliate of the World Bank shows a fervid aversion to foreign aid rather than an addiction to capricious obstructionism.

Approval of the $312 million would, according to the formula established by the World Bank, oblige the shirking Western Europeans to pay twice that amount into this fund for the underprivileged nations. The money would not be given away; it would be loaned. Although interest rates would be a little lower than on Wall Street, the other terms would approach those of commercial banks.

Since every other foreign aid bill is certain to be more objectionable than this defeated one, the optimists can argue that last week's vote augurs for a consistent, responsible Congressional session only if they believe that Congress will defeat every other foreign aid bill also. Realists can still hope for capriciousness.