The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-24
Fixed Determination to Pass
Bill Follows Presidents
Address to Congress
MESSAGE CRITICISED
BY MINORITY LEADER
President Wilson Again Appears Be-
bore Congress and Urges Party
to Uphold Pldges Of Plat
form-Strong Address

Washington. June pa hxed deter
mination to have currency Legislation
nassed at this session of Congress was
accented by members of the House and
Senate today as President Wilson's text
for the currency message, which ne
personally presented to Congress- as
sembled in Joint session in the House
chamber. Both democrats and repup-
licans saw in the carefully worded ap-
neal of the President an earnest con-
viction that the money situation must
be dealt with before Congress adJourns
and preparations were made to begin
committee work ON the administration
bill which will soon be introduced In the
House by Representative Glass, in the
Senate by Senator owen.
From the rostrum of the House cham
Der, the President in carefully modu-
lated tones that carried his words to
every corner of the chamber, read a
brief message he had prepared. Crowd
cd galleries, cabinet officials, senators
and representatives, democrats and re-
publicans sat in tense silence as the
President. with forceful earnestness,
told them:
at is plainly clear that it Is our
duty 80 supply the new banking and
currency system the country needs, and
that it will Immediately need it more
than ever.
Sacrifice Required
1--WE must act now whatever the sac
ifice to ourselves. ] should be recreant
to my deepest convictions of public
you with solemn and urgent insis-
tencen
The occasion was the Presidents sec
ond defiance Of the custom of 100 years
which sent Presidents messages, long,
dull documents. to he droned TO weary
congressman by a hoarse voice, and
the affair moved smoothly. The SEN
ate and House gathered in the House
chamber where the galleries already
had been crowded and the members
chatted while they awaited the Presi-
dents coming. The cabinet officers, eN-
cept Secretary of State Bryan and Sec
retary of the Navy Daniels. who with
their wives occupied gallery seats, had
places on the floor of the House.
joint committee led by Majority
Leader Underwood and Senator Kern
met the President and escorted him 10
the clerks desk on the rostrum. Mr..
Wilson apparently was less nervous
than when he first faced the big as
semblage of legislators TO deliver his
tariff address. AS he spoke the gath
ering sat in attentive silence, marking
carefully the points which the Presi-
dents diotion and intonation forced on
their attention. When he had concluded
there WAS a burst of applause and he
bowed his way out after shaking hands
with Vice President Marshall and
Speaker Clark.
At both House and Senate ends of the
capitol and among both democrats and
republicans tonight the conviction was
deeply fixed that the Presidents solemn
and earnest insistence on currency leg
tivity in the Legislative branch. Chair
man Glass of the House banking and
currency committee and Chairman
owen OF the Senate committee both
conferred with the President after he
delivered his address and both pre-
pared for the early introduction of the
administration currency bill which now
is being revised in some minor fea-
lures of phraseology.
Tba mi orr. In RI hnt III
week.
Mann Offers Criticism
The first authoritative statement on
the Presidents message was critical
and came from republican Leader Mann
of the House He said the message was
a fine example of classical English,
but there is nothing more to it unless
1t be considered as a threat that pat
ronage will be withheld until bank
ing and currency bill is passed.
Representative Mann criticised the
bill as stolen from the Aldrich none
tary report with a few radical provis-
ions taken from the Bryan platform
mixed in."
On the Senate side many republicans
were of the opinion that the Presi-
dents message was a fiat declaration
that Congress must act on the cur
rency question They believe 1t sets
forth the Presidents position as being
so positive on that point that he would
call another extra session of Congress
II necessary to dispose of the matter.
As soon as the bill is introduced both
Senate and House banking and cur
rency committees will get down TO
work and early reports on both sides
are expected. Senator Owen expects to
put the bill in Thursday
Although a House caucus has been