The Washington times., 1909-12-09
LEADERS PLANNING
TO DELAY ACTION
Impression Is Little Will Be
Accomplished This
Session.
LIKELY TO ADJOURN
IN APRIL OR MAY
Practically Nothing Will Be Done
In Matter of Legislation
Before the Holidays.
By JOHN SNURE.

II Is to be a do-nothing Congress as
far as the leaders in the House and
Senate can make II so.
For a long session II will be brief
and the expectation now is that there
will be early adjournment. Talk is that
the session will end in April or In
early May at the latest. provided. Of
course, there are no unforeseen de-
velopments hat compel the prolonga-
ton of It.
Already talk is going around that AL
most nothing is TO be done before the
holidays. Things will be shifted over
until after the first of the year. This
does not apply 10 the work of some
or the House committees on appro-
priations, which will do their utmost
to hurry along appropriation bills and
get them on the calendar. For in
stance, the House Committee on Mill
tary Affairs viii in all probability have
the army bin reported before the holt
day adjournment. The House Appro-
priations Committee, headed by Chair
man Tawney. will rush along the APP
preparation bills under its jurisdiction
: AS rapidly as possible. The Senate
committees In charge Of appropriation
measures will proceed more leisurely.
But when it comes TO other import
ant legislation, the disposition is to
handle it gingerly. to proceed slowly
and deliberately.
Single Exception.
To this. there is one important excep-
ton, and that is the ship subsidy bill.
The leaders have made up their minds
To force legislation on this subject. The
President has core out for II in his
districts where the opposition to subsidy
legislation is the most rampant. there
has been a campaign on for months 10
make converts to subsidy legislation.
The situation in the House in recent
years has always been close on this
proposition. The conversion of a few
votes will pass a bill The subsidy sup
porters think they have the votes. They
are sure Of the Senate. The plan being
talked OF is 10 have the House Commit
tee on Merchant Marine report the sub
sidy bin out before the holidays and
try TO pass IL, but before this Is done
=. the situation and see whether there is
any danger OF a defeat one reason for
this IS that, despite the confident pre-
dictions OF the friends of subsidy legis-
latiOn that they will pass a bill, the
insurgents. Democrats. and other Op-
ponents OF subsidy are declaring they
believe they can prevent the passage OF
a subsidy measure.
When it comes 10 postal savings leg
islation. railroad legislation, legislation
on control of corporations, conservation
legislation, and legislation on labor
matters, as well as on a number OF
other important lines, IL Is evident the
leaders are trying 70 tread softly and
slowly and not go any farther than alb
sOluteIy necessary. II they could put
through the appropriation bills and then
adjourn, that program would be more
satisfactory than any other.
One phase Of the legislative situation
that viii tend 20 make IL difficult for
the passage OF any important measures
outside Of appropriation bills IS that
the effort to economic will make the
discussion OF appropriation matters
more prolonged than Il is usually.
Even the activities OF the new, SEN
ate Committee on Public Expenditures
nre criticised in some quarters as ono
OF the devices for killing time and
shunting of matters other than apprO-
priation bills.