The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-04
Hotel Lobbies Filfed With Members of the Two
 Houses
SESSION WILL BE
 VERY PROTRACTED
Underwood Says Democratic Caucus Will Unanimously Approve lmme- dite Action By Ways and
 Means Committee
wasbington. December s.-The first reg

Washington, December s-The first reg uar session of the sixty-se} Congress will be convened at noon J, F. Ex- Governor McNeary is re long session, Speaker Clark a eadefs having predicted that ad8 t may not come until after tha Il con ventions of the two big aoH parties have been held. This has not opened since 1888. M
 Hotel lobbies tonight were Nlled with groups in which members of the two houses were conspicuous. There were hosts of other out of town folks among them the usual numbers drawn to Wash ington during a congressional session py curiosity or in connection with pradlng legislation Tomorrow's opening w,l not only be the start of asCongress in which
 party leaders will struggle. for party
 vantage at the polls next November Tn dealing with tariff, trusts and other big
 problems, but it will initiate the brilliant winter social season at the national cap | ital.
 'When you compare all the legislath to be considered said Speaker Clarl-, you are forced to the conclusion that Congress will be in session until well into the summer If not until Tall.
 Underwood Talks
 While no definite programme as to tariff bills in the House has yet been framed" said Democratic Leader Under wood tonight. it is certain that the democratic caucus will unanimously ap- prove immediate action by the ways and means committed The committee will
 welcome the report of the tariff board,
 but it will not delay action for any great length of time if the boards report is
 held back.
 "Of course, the principal schedules to be revised or reduced will be wool, cot ton, iron and steel, and probably sugar The order in which these will be taken up will be determined after consultation with the members of the democratic ma | iority As to the sugar schedule, con- l corning which there was much discus | sion, but no action, in the extra ses | sion the ways and means committee VII l look forward to the report of the spe ciai committee of inquiry into the Amer fcan Sugar Refining company. This re l port it is expected will contain recon | mendations bearing on the sugar tariff. 1 Upon the attitude of the insurgent re l publicans will depend the legislative ac l con mplishment of the Senate. They holt | the balance of power as between tbe reg | ular republicans and the democrats anc without their acquiescence nothing car | be done by each of the regular parties. | Some of the regular republicans whc hope to formulate tariff Segislation along republican lines, claim that the progress sives are committed to the report o1 the tariff board Insurgent senators | however, say they expect to draw then own conclusions from the boards fig ures when submitted. All factions in- dicate that there is no disposition to surrender independence of action on tar if questions and few profess belief that
 the federal boards findings will be fol-
 lowed blindly.
 Little interest in the way of actual legislation is likely until the holiday re- cess. The urgent deficiency appropria-
 ton will be rushed through to meet emergency needs of the government and consideration of the other big supply measures will begin. Both political parties will seek such advantages as might ac- crue from an economy programme. There will be big rivers and harbors appro- priation bill -popularly known along with the public building bill as the pork barrel'-and hearings on this measure will begin this week. ras
 Tomorrows session of the Senate will be perfunctory, the usual committees be- ing appointed to advise the President and the House that the Senate Is in session.
 In the House interest will be focused on Representative Martin w. Littleton of New York, who will defend himself against criticism as member of the House Steel trust Investigating commit tee Democrats await the speech with concern because of the effect it may have upon harmony in the party councils, while republican members eagerly await anything that may sound like democratic discordance.