The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-18
THIS WEEK WILL BE BUSY ONE FOR BOTH SENATE AND HOUSE Sharp Division of Sentiment On Service Pension Leg
 islati0n SENATE WILL ACT ON
 RESOLUTION TODAY House Democrats Will Caucus on Number of Important Measures.
 Report of Tariff Board
 Expected This Week

Washington, December 17.-A sharp
 division of sentiment among senators re-
 garding service pension legislation, pro- tests against large congressional expendi- lures, the Russian question. continued investigations and making the urgent de- flciency bill into law will keep Congress busy this week. Both houses will ad-
 iourn next Thursday until January 3. Plans are going forward for what prom ises 10 prove d congestion of lesisla- ton after the recess.
 The Sherwood so called dollar a day pension bill, which the House has passed. probably will not find an easy way in the Senate. Senator Gore of Oklahoma, a leading democratic member Of the pen sion committee already has started an inquiry into the possibility of postpon-
 ing action until the next session when
 there will be no presidential election. Ili | the House proceedings of the Sherwood bill the effect upon either party of marked | liberality to the Mexican and Civil war veterans aggregating possibly $I5000,00o | ultimately, was a conspicuous factor and Senator Gore contends that the subject will not be so popular In Congress after the presidential election.
 Senator McComber, chairman of the pensions committee, while not commit ting himself to the Sherwood bill, to- day expressed the opinion that some gem eral pension legislation will be enacted during the session. we should do now what we are going to do regardless or presidential election he said. He thinks congressional action should depend on the state of the treasury and has taken l faf, 1atA 1ifla
 what various plans of legislation might cost. Secretary of the Interior Fisher is Investigating the cost.
 Democratic Caucus The House democrats will caucus on a number of pending questions, probably
 soon after the recess. The leaders con- tend that the economy programme must be maintained, that some of the demands
 of the committees and democratic meni-
 bers for appropriations mgst be refused.
 but in such a way as to avoid party | ldissension
 The pension bilh already passed by | the House. carrying from s40.0Oo.0a0 to 1 $75, ,000 900, the demand of the publicity committee for an omnibus measure to carry between s25, 1000 and S30.0O0000 and other large drafts on the treasury, have 1 complicated the situation Democrats | Leader Underwood insists that the pub
 licity bill shall be put through The work of the Investigating committees is also pilng up expense accounts. The tariff boards report is expected from the President this week, but the ways and means committee probably will not recommend action on the wool and other schedules until after the re- cess. The democrats were not agreed last summer as to the raw wool tar iff many favoring free raw wool. This question, trust legislation, and other .t.: f,. The proposed plan to open the caucus to the public has developed strenuous opposition from those democrats who believe party differences should be set tied behind closed doors
 All the witnesses who will be heard in the defense of Senator Lormer eX- cept Mir. Lorimer himself will appear before the Senate Investigating com mittee this week and the committee will then adjourn to meet after the Christmas holidays. Senator Lorimer will testify under oath for the first time.
 The steel trust Investigating com mittee of the House and the Senate committee on interstate commerce which is Investigating trust problems will be in session this week.
 General Woods Report
 Maj Gen. Leonard Wood chief of staff of the army, favors the restora- ton of the canteen to army posts. He declares in his annual report that the consensus of opinion in the army is that the canteen should be re-estab- lshed.
 General Wood also makes some rec concentrations for the garrisoning of the Panama canal forts. He says it is necessary to provide garrsons Go protect the canal and insure it's ncu- trality and for that he recommends 12 companies of coast artillery, four regiments of infantry at full strength. a battalion of field artillery one squad ron of cavalry and some auxiliary troops.
 In recommending short term enlist ments the chief of staff says the argu- ment that men would not return to colors in time of war is .an unwar- rantable reflection on the patriotism of men who have served the colors and returned to private life"
 General Wood opposes the bill pend- ing in Congress which would consoli- date the adjutant generals and in- spect generals departments with tho general staff corps. He favors a con soldation but not to the way proposed. He takes the position that great care should be taken to prevent any indi- viduals from becoming permanent mem bers of the general staff corps. The detail system, General Wood declares, is one of the essential features of the efficiency of the general staff.