The Washington herald., 1913-10-21
FEW agree WITH
wilson ON DATE
Passage of Currency Bill by
First Week m November
Is Doubted.
LETTER TO UNDERWOOD
President Tells Callers He viii Stand
for Changes Not Affecting
fundamentals"
LETTER TO UNDERWOOD
BY JOSEPH p. AMIN.

Unless il means that President Wilson
IS prepared to make greater concessions
in the way of Senate amendments to the
pending currency bill than it was anti
cipated he would, legislators generally
were at loss for an explanation Oh tne
optimism in the Presidents note 10
Majority Leader Underwood yesterday.
Mr.. Wilson announced his belief that the
bill would be reported TO the Senate not
later than the first week in November
and would be paSscd by the Senate with
in three weeks from that time
Mr. Wilson told callers at the whit
House yesterday that he was standing
by the fundamental principles OF the Dill
as 1t Tassed the House, but would not
object TO changes not affecting these
fundamentals.
In answer to questions as to the "fun-
damentals'' the President said that the
size Of the Federal Reserve Board or the
number of reserve banks were not teA-
lures of the House bill upon which ne
would insist
Mr.. Underwood yesterday sought an
agreement with Minority Leader Mann
looking TO a recess of the House until
November Is. Mr.. Mann refused TO COM
NIT himself and forced an adjournment
until today. when he will announce his
decision. Owing to the absence OF a
Quorum Mr.. Mann is I'm a position to die
tate, for the time being, at least.
VIII Pass This Session.
After the adjournment of the House
Yesterday Mr., Mann conferred for some
time with the Senate Republicans. The
result was that Mr.. Mann was impressed
with the belief that the Presidents op-
timism was not warranted by conditions.
Those members of the Senate commit
tee who have been opposing many Of the
features of the House bill express doubt
that the bill can be reported out and
passed in the time specified, but it is be-
lieved that the measure can be written
into the statute Books at the extra ses-
sion.
There has been manifest in the COM
nIittee of late a distinct Improvement IN
feeling between different factions. 1t now
seems possible that a nearly unanimous
report may come out of the committee.
The comment of one Of the three Demo-
Gratis who have taken the lead i'll oppo-
sition to the bill as it now stands-Sena-
tol O'Gorman-is looked upon as signifi-
cant. When told of the Presidents Ietter
yesterday he said:
Il presume the letter is correct in its
statement of the situation. The bill may
be passed this special session
Letter to Underwood.
Senator Weeks of Massachusetts,. who
is looked upon as one of the Republican
leaders on the committee. said:
The Presidents letter betrays greater
confidence than the facts warrant"
The letter of the President to Majority
Leader Underwood follows:
My dear Mr.. Underwood:
Last week you called upon me, and,
in view of the very natural desire of the
members of the House of Representa-
tives to know Why it seemed necessary
10 keep them continuously i'm Washing
ton and when they might expect TO lie
free to go home, IL only for brief in
terval of adjournment, asked me what
l thought the prospects were with re-
gard to the banking and currency bill
IN the Senate. A., / then promised you,
I have hal conferences with members
of the Senate Committee on Banking
and Currency, both Democrats and Re
publicans As a result of those confer
enCes, I feel conficent that L report on
the bill may be eXected not later than
the first week in November. Most of
the members of Tht committee with
whom / have conferred have shown
themselves keenly aware of the disadvan-
tage to the country of any unnecessary
celay. ! believe that tie s.CtIOn of the
Senate upon the Bit will follow within
two or, at the most, three weeks, after
the report is made. l do not believe
that there VIII be any attemp, to delay
its passage bv dilaIOry tactics. Senu-
tors on both sides realize tnat the busi-
ness of the country awaits this legis
Iation, impatient of being kept in sus-
pense. and display a most public spirited
desire TO dispose of it promptly. The
passage of the bill is assured.
In these circumstances. / should like
to confer with you, as you so kindly
suggested, as to the action the House
should take while awaiting the result.
Cordially and sincerely yours
WOODROW WILSON"