Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-06-02
TO INVESTIGATE THE
LOBBY, THIS MORNING
CONTINUED from Page one.)

on currency to be submitted imme-
diately upon the opening of Congress
in regular session. next winter
The West Virginia investigation
authorized to be conducted by the ed
ucation and labor committee of the
Senate, will be initiated, tomorrow,
by subcommittee composed of Sen
ators Swanson, Shields, MARITIME, 30
rah and Kenyon. 1t will meet first in
Washington to inquire into matters
of record concerning conditions in the
strike zone and later may proceed 20
the scene of the strike in the Paint
Creek Coal region. The inquiry Will
be extended over many weeks.
Democratic leaders of the House
are planning to restrict as far as pos
sible, the legislation at this session to
tariff, currency and any appropriations
that may be deemed imperative. This
plan is favored, today, by Represen-
tative Underwood of Alabama, the
majority leader, and he will propose
il in a resolution to be presented at a
caucus of the House Democrats, to-
morrow. All the House committees
will be named and they may consider
pending matters with view to action
at the next regular session of Congress
in December.
The caucus, tomorrow, is primarily
for the purpose of passing upon me
entire committee organization of the
House. Some of the new members,
anxious about patronage at the eapi-
tol. are talking about urging a plan
to get their share All of the $50 cap
itol appointments were made when the
Democrats took control of the 62nd
Congress.
House Democrats have been mark
ing time since they sent the tariff bill
over TO the Senate and most OF the
members are in their home states
waiting until there is real business
before the body. For several weeks
the House has been perfunctorily
meeting every three days and that
program will be continued until there
be business ready.
Not week passes that President VIII
son does not start something to snake
up the precedents and keep Congress
astir. His denunciation of the tariff lob
by in the week just passed marked the
climax In series of unusual executive
acts and has precipitated an inquiry the
like Of which has never been known IN
legislative annals of the nation.
When the President told the ways ana
means committee that he wanted iree
raw wool and ultimate free sugar In the
tariff bill the committee wrote the Bill !
that way. When he declared that ne
wished TO deliver his tariff message III
person to Congress, the House and Sen
ate met In Joint session to hear him.
Later his decision to go to the Presi-
dents room in the capitol to talk business
with senators and congressman was car
ried out without hindrance or friction.
His vigorous announcement a few weeks
ago in the midst of rumors of party
weakening on tariff measures that he
would accept no compromise of wool and
sugar. served to tighten the administra-
tive lines and now his declaration that
the country should be rid of the burden
of an insidious tariff lobby has aroused
the Senate to investigation.
Both Democrats and Republicans OF
Congress are busy now planning reor-
ganization for the coming campaigns
The Democratic Congressional committee
expects to reorganize, tomorrow night
Rep Johnson of Kentucky is being
strongly backed for the craftsmanship. A
lively contest is looked for over the post
of treasurer now held by Rep. Floor OF
+ Virginia Representatives of the Con-
.gressiona committee will discuss with
the, Democratic National Committee plans
for joint campaign efforts. 1'ia
., The Republican Congressional commit
tee will meet. soon to organize and Ke-
publican leaders already are considering
what course 10 pursue. First confer
ence will be held looking to Corporation
between the National and Congressional
committees in managing campaigns. The
conferees for the National committee viii
be Chairman c. ID. Hilles Former Sen
ator Crane of Massachusetts, Senators
jackson of Maryland and Sanders OF
Tennessee; ard for the Congressional
committee, Senator Weeks of Massachu-
setts and Rep. Burke of South Dakota.
Woods of Iowa and Farchild OF New
York.