Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-17
President Wilson Issues Proc
lamation Announcing April
7 as the Date.
REVISION OF THE TARIFF
FIRST ITEM IN PROGRAM
Special Message to Outline. Admins
tration's Idea of Reductions
in the Duties.

President Wilson today issued the for
NAL proclamation convening Congress in
extra session at noon April :.
The Presidents pronouncement today
was brief and followed form closely. 1t
stated merely that whereas public in
terests require" Congress would be con-
vened in extra session by order of the
executive.
Originally, MIR. Wilson had fixed upon
April / as the date. Representative Un-
derwood. the democratic majority leader,
having informed him that the tariff bills.
to which. it was agreed, Congress should
give immediate attention, would be ready
on that date. Mr.. Underwood found.
however, that the ways and means COM
mittee would need another week to draft
the tariff schedules, and today's proc
lamation is In Difference to the wishes Of
Leader Underwood and House leaders
No Reason Assigned in Call.
The absence of any specific reason for
the calling of the extra session is ex-
planned by the fact that Mr. Wilson's
statement Immediately after his election
declared that he would call an extra ses-"
sion to revise the tariff.
President Wilson plans to point out spe-
cifically his wishes for the extra session
in his first message, in preparation. This.
1t is known from talks the President has
had with members of Congress, will out
line the administrations idea of how the
tariff should be revised and just what
schedules should be taken up. The be-
lief Is general that the entire message
win be taken up with q discussion of the
tariff. with the exception of the last para
graph or two. which will draw attention
.r loot fcfa ion, af vhp
earliest possible moment, and will indi-
cate the purpose of the President to send
later a special message on that or other
subjects which he believes should be
taken up by the new Congress.
Caucus to Consider Plan.
The tariff plan will be submitted first
10 caucus and then directly to the
House by the ways and means commit
tee.
The committee will be ready to report
by that time, said Democratic Leader
Underwood today. I'VE have made head
vay and there will be no trouble about
reporting the revised plan when the Con-
gress convenes."
The majority of the ways and means
committee today began consideration OF
the administrative features of the new
tariff. These provisions relate to va
riety of custom house routine and the ell
fort OF the democrats in changing the
terms and phraseology of the admlnls-
trative section is to simplify and faciii-
tate the customs work both in the inter-
est OF the government and the importers.
A number of changes along that line
were suggested by witnesses during the
tariff hearings in January.
The tariff revision plan will be In Such
condition that whatever form the caucus
determines upon can be reported imme-
diately out of the committee and the
whole tariff discussion formally opened
up in the House without delay.
Committee Assignments to Wait.
There will be no attempt to name all
or even the bulk of the House commit
tees at the outset of the extra session.
that being reserved under the present
plan until toward the close of the extra
session as to obviate any unnecessary
legislation until the regular session of
Congress convenes in December. The
ways and means committee personnel al
ready has been determined upon in demo-
cratic caucus of the Sixty-third Con-
gress. and IL will be ratified by the House
at the opening of the extra session, when
the committees on rules. mileage and ac-
counts also will be named. Whether any
other committees will be created for do
ing business at the extra session depends
developments between now and
April Z.