The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-08-05
CONGRESS PLANS
RAPID PROGRESS
in NEXT TEN DAYS

Continued from Pare One.
be reappointed for another term. pro-
vided they have obtained and maintain
ed certain degree Of efficiency.
Return to the "Spoils.o
Senator Cummins insists that this Is .
return to the spoils system and would
practically repeal the civil service law.
The proponents of the measure point out
that there can be no return to spells
politics. because II any vacancies occur
by the failure of the department to re-
appoint, these must be filed by certi-
fcation from the eligible register Of the
Civil Service Commission.
Gen. John c. Black. Chairman of the
Civil Service Commission, approves the
legislation. 1t is expected that the Sem
ate will adopt this amendment after
some debate.
The other obstacles to an agreement in
the Senate on the executive, legislative,
and judicial bill Is the form of the COM
promise which abolishes the Commerce
Court. The Senate had provided for leg
islating the five additional circuit judges
created by the act which provided for the
Commerce Court back into private life.
The House had taken no steps for dis
posing of the judges Immediately, but
had enacted that when vacancies &C.
CURED in the list of five. these should
not be filed and that ultimately the num-
Der of circuit judges should be twenty
nine. as II was before the creation OF the
Commerce Court Provision was made
that these judges might act as supply"
to be assigned to any duty. which falls to
the usual circuit judge. The Senate &C.
cepted this House provision in conference,
but in rewriting the amendment. the
conferees left the language ambiguous,
SO far as 1t provided for the disposition
Of cases now pending in the Commerce
Court.
Senator George Sutherland will propose
a concurrent resolution to correct this
ambiguity and make more definite the
Jurisdiction of the United States District
Courts over these Commerce Court cases.
III his resolution is adopted, II will avert
the necessity of sending the bill back to
conference. for 1t will direct the enrolling
clerk to insert several words in the text
OF the bill to make its language clear.
Opposition VIII Fail.
The only other opposition to the Com
merce Court provision comes from Sem
ators who want to legislate the Com
merce Court judges out Of Office as cir
cult judges. Senators Bailey, Bacon
Hoke Smith, and Cummins are leading in
this fight But 1t is believed that the
language will be adopted as II came from
the conference committee, in spite of
their opposition. The agricultural appro-
priation bill has been agreed to in con-
ference, after about six weeks delay
and there is a prospect of agreement on
the pension appropriation bill. Confer
ence action on the navy, appropriation
bill depends on the outcome of the fight
for two battleships, and that will be
settled shortly.
The most serious obstacle to an early
adjournment, as the leaders view it. is
the Panama Canal bill. There is a move
ment on to put 1t over until the next
session. The plan is to provide for the
organization of an operative force to
open the canal and to legislate for the
government Of the Canal Zone. and put
the question Of tolls over until the next
session. There is some opposition to this,
led by Senator Bristow of Kansas
The fact that the joint resolution. con-
tinuing the appropriations for the last
fiscal year was made to extend them only
until Augut Is may determine that date
as the time for adjournment. IL Con-
gress does not pass the general appro-
priation bills, so that the President can
sign them before that date, is will be
tending the appropriations. in order to
enable the departments to proceed with
their work.
When the last general appropriation
bill has been signed by the President
there will be little occasion for Congress
to remain in session, and with the deter
to complete this work before |
the is. 1t will appear that that is thej
most probable date for adjournment.
VIII Not Veto Bill.
President Taft. 1t is now believed. will |
not veto the Legislative, executive. and |
judicial bill. even IL the Commerce Court |
provision is retained. He probably real
zes that Congress is determined to de-
stroy the Commerce Court as a tribunal. |
and because 1t created 1t. its power to |
undo its work is conceded. whatever |
the executive department may think of |
the wisdom Of it 1t is known that some |
merce Commission are thoroughly |
alarmed over the prospect that the Com |
nerce Court is to be abolished.
Whatever criticism they may have had |
to make on the decisions of the tribunal |
as II is now constituted. friends of the |
Interstate Commerce Commission realize |
that such a course is necessary to expe-
lite business and avoid the long delays |
that grew out Of the old system. So long |
IS Congress does not try to retire the |
1--WE judges TO private life, the President |
will probably not withhold his approval |
from the bill. for he is getting anxious to |
have Congress adjourn. This is his atti- |
tude as 1t Is understood among his |
friends in the Senate. The Presidents |
veto of the tariff bills will not delay the |
adjournment OF Congress, but IL he failed |
10 approve any Of the general appropria-
ion bills Congress would be held In ses-