The Washington times., 1912-08-19
ADJOURNMENT DAY
MAY Be DELAYED
BY MORE VETOES
Panama Canal Measure and
Commerce Court Clause
Remain as Obstacles,

Uncertainty as to the time of adjourn
ment of the session prevails at the
Capitol. despite the general hopes that
1t will be found possible to end the
legislative grind and quit Washington
by the close of this week.
Various obstacles loom up that may
delay early adjournment and keep Con-
gress here until September. One Is the
Legislative, executive. and judicial APP
preparation bill which the President
recently vetoed.
This bill. which the President vetoed
because II contained the seven-year ten
ure clause and the provision for the
abolition Of the Commerce Court, has
been passed again by the House with
the seven-year provision stricken out
but the provision still in 1t for the
abolishment of the Commerce Court
The Senate will probably pass the bill
in the same form and then the Presi-
| dent will veto 1t again.
Senate May Back Down.
If the President vetocs the bill sec.
ond time, then the indications are the
| Senate will back down and will consent
to have the Commerce Court remain
Already Senators are getting shaky
about insisting on the abolishment oi
the court. and conferences have beel
| held among some Of them with a view
| to retreating and letting the President
| have his way.
II the Senate recedes and permits the
court to stand, then 1t will take some
| time to get the House to yield, anc
there will be more or less delay in con
| ference.
Not only is there prospect of much de-
| lay and much controversy over the leg
| islative bill. but there are other bills
| which are far from being disposed OF
One is the sundry civil bill, which Is II
| conference.
Urged To Veto Measure.
The President has the Panama cana
bill, and while he is expected to ap
prove 1t, he is being strongly urgec
to veto 1t by the railroad interests
which fear the prohibition against u.s.
of the canal by railroad-owned ships
If there Is a veto, it will be ascribed Il
the free tolls provision. But the in
terests really fomenting trouble are tn
railroads In their antagonism to the pro
hibition against railroad-oWned vessels
They are trying to get the President t.
pull their chestnuts out of the fire, an
have succeeded in getting the Presiden
to delay signing the bill and call hi
Cabinet members into conference.
The general deficiency bill is not ye
reported out of the Senate Appropria
tions Committee, and the conferenc
report on the Indian bill Is pending 1
the Senate.
Much talk was heard about the Cap
tol today about rushing business to
conclusion. But Senate leaders wer
not enthusing about II. They said tn
session might end Saturday night, an
then again II might not. Not fe'
predicted Congress would still be her
September l.
one phase of the situation that make
It difficult to figure on adjournment
the lack of anything like the oil
Senate leadership. The Senate now ha
no leadership, and things are runnln
along there In haphazard way.
Hold Secret Conference.
Conferees on the army appropriate
bill went into secret session thi
morning, expecting to agree upon
bill satisfactory at both the Capitt
and White House before evening
Chairman Hay, of the House Mllitar
Affairs Committee, intimated toda
that the House would recede from II
demands for reduction of five caValr
regiments, many army posts, an
lengtheninG of the enlistment term.
Early conferences were planned q
= the naval, sundry civil. and postofhc
appropriation bills. Parcels post
the chief dispute in the postoffce bi
and that of one or two new battle
ships in the naval bill.
To pass many private bills on II
unanimous consent calendar, tt
House met at 1880 instead of noe
today.