Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1913-12-05

h0AAAs ! lAhCo putty otAOh6 A1A(CT
whether of capital or labor, to resist
an offer Of mediation from a federal
board and precipitate a strike which
may cause a p~rotracted cessation of
business, Inconvenience the public and
cause a loss of wages to thousands of
men. If the present session of con-
gress. long as 1t has been, had done
nothing but pass the Newlands act 1t
would have performed a great service.
Abolished the Commerce Court.
Three general appropriation bills
were passed during the special session.
n of which failed in the short ses-
sion and another Of which was vetoed
by President Taft. The third was an
urgent deficiency bill, which caused a
great deal of discussion because of
two important provisions which 1t con-
tanned. The commerce court, created
by the railroad legislation of 1910. was
abolished by a rider ON the deficiency
bill. This court was established in the
face Of bitter opposition. One of the
judges was impeached. and on account
Of differences with the interstate COM
MERGE commission 1t became very I'M
popular. 1t goes out of existence at
the close of the present year. A bitter
contest between the two houses of
congress arose over the question as to
whether the judges of the court should
also be abolished. The senate finally
0 and the judges remain and will
haroo Flor ha nfrcrft fuduac
In the same deficiency bill was a
much discussed provision which took
deputy collectors of internal event
from under the civil service. 1t was
Incorporated In the law, and hereafter
these deputies can be appointed by
raids upon the civil service, ETC.. were
made, but they did not deter the ma
jority,
The deficiency bill contained another
provision which received practically
unanimous support. 1t appropriated
100000 az a part of a fund of 100000
to erect In Washington a monumental
building to commemorate the services
and sacrifices of women of the United
States, north and south, who cared for
the sick and wounded soldiers during
the war. The balance of the sum,
building will be the property of the
United States, but occupied and cared
for by the American Red Cross.
A Concession to Labor.
NIL o.,~5-, os-I 1nO,0Drtafioa hill
was vetoed by President Taft a few
moments before his term expired be-
cause it contained a provision that of
the sum of 100000 provided for the
enforcement of the antitrust laws n
part Of the money shall be spent in
individual for entering into any COM
bination or agreement having in view
the increasing of wages, shortening of
hours or lettering the conditions of
labor or for any act done in further
ance thereof, not In itself unlawful"
This amendment was reinserfed in
the bill at the special session, but when
approved by President Wilson he said
that the provision need not become
operative as there were other funds
available for the prohibited prosecu-
lions IL 1t was found necessary to be-
gin them.
Panama-Pacific Exposition.
The sundry civil bill also contained
a paragraph which provided for and
nationalized the Panama Pacific expo
sition to be held at San Francisco in
1916. Unlike former exposition laws
1t fixes the number of commissioners
at three instead of seven or more, linn
its their pay to $1,000 instead of $1,000
and also places a limit upon the pay
of employees and their expenses. This
employment will not be simply soft
snaps" as in the past.
A subsequent act provided for the
free importation of foreign exhibits
for the exposition and the protection
of their trademarks and designs. An
other act nationalized a smaller expo
sition which is to be held at San Diego.
Cal. in 1915.
At the beginning of the special ses-
sion an emergency deficiency bill was
passed providing expenses for the ses-
sion. 1t also made provision for the
new department of labor, which up to
that time had been without pay or
quarters.
Indian Commissions.
The Indian appropriation bill was
talked to death at the close of the last
congress, and after considerable wran-
Cling 1t was passed at the special SEES
sion. Aside from the usual %appropria-
lions. the most important features
were provision for two commissions,
both consisting of members of the SEN
ate and house. One is to investigate
the management of the bureau of In
dian affairs in every detail. The 9th
er was directed to investigate irriga-
ton conditions in Washington state
and health conditions in New Mexico,
particularly in regard to the establish
ment of n sanitariunA for tuberculosis