The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-16
Administration Leaders Are
Seeking to Speed Up Leg
islative Programme
INDIAN BILL WILL
CONF UP IN HOUSE
Eight General Arbitration Treaties
Will BE Taken Up in Senate To-
morrow-Fight in Store on
Postoffice Bill

Washington, February 15.--Adminis-
tration leaders in Congress seeking to
speed up the Legislative programme will
make an effort this week to dispose
OF more of the appropriation measures
In the Senate the postoffice appro-
priation bill will be taken up, while
the House is completing work on the
Indian bill.
with the session now nearly three
months old and new problems present.
ing themselves democratic chieftains
are growing apprehensive about the
possibility of an early adjournment.
some members can get into the coming
congressional campaign. 1t is less than
four months until June l. the tentative
objective point for adjournment, aud
rouch work remains. SO the word has
gone out to committees to work as
rapidly as possible and floor leaders
nave been urged to limit debate to a
minimum.
Fight on Postoffice Bill
While the Senate usually disposes of
appropriation bills rapidly there is a
hight In store ON the postoffice BILL
owing to the committee amendment
which would take the power from the
POSTMASTER General to change rates.
weight limits or other features of the
parcel post system. Several democratic
| senators plan to oppose this amends
ment, and If it passes the Senate an
other battle is certain In the House.
Little will he accomplished early In
the week. owing to the death of Sem
ator Bacon, whose funeral vii be held
Tuesday.
Though the death of the Georgia
senator will deprive the foreign rela-
tions committee of its leader. no change
Is contemplated in the programme to
begin consideration of the eighth general
arbitration treaties pending. These will
be taken up In executive session of the
senate Tuesday, tie leadepship IN the
Isitsoussath oe tho donands falling on.
senator shively of Indiana, second dem
ocrat in rank on the foreign relations
committee. Senator Stone. the rank
ing democrat, is i'll. The conventions
to be pressed FOR ratification and ex-
tension are the expired treaties with
Great Britain, Japan, Italy. Spain, Swe-
den. Norway, Portugal and Switzer-
land. Senator Shively tonight said there
undoubtedly would be opposition to
the treaties but he confidently expect
ed all to be ratified.
immigration Legislation
immigration legislation win be con-
sidered throughout the week by the
Senate committee on immigration.
This committee intends to study the
subject with view to amending the
Burnett bin as it passed the House,
but an effort will be made to report
it as soon as possible. probably with
In 10 days.
Revision and perfection of antitrust
legislative bills viii continue before
Senate and House committee. 1t hav-
ing been determined that all the ten
tntive measures must be changed
Senator Walsh's measure TO provide
government control of radium will be
the subject of further hearings by the
Senate committee on mines and mining.
The House antitrust and commerce
regulation hearings programme for to-
morrow includes Louis Brandeis of Bos
ton before the judiciary committee TO
discuss price fixing and interlocking
drectorates and a delegation of bitum
inous coal operators before the inter-
state commerce commission. The coal
men will urge the creation of an in
terstate trade commission with powers
so broad MS to eliminate the so-called
twilight zone and enable coal oper-
ators to know what they may do with
out stepping over the law.
Pension Appropriation
The pension appropriation bill is
ready and the army appropriation bill,
carrying 900, a radical reduc-
ton from the estimates, will be re-
ported to the House when il meets to-
morrow.
The House committee on naval af-
fairs viii vote February "A ON the
naval building programme for which
the administration asks two battle-
ships eight destroyers, and three sub
iaarnes. The navy department Is
watching the progress of a large type
Of submarine which England has or
dered and there Is possibility of
shifting some of the money that would
go for the eight destroyers to lars
ghr appropriation for heavier submar-
ines. The naval appropriation bill is
being prepared by subcommittee,
which Is considering plan for navy
department commission to investigate
the government armor plate plant prof.
oct and report at the next session OF
Congress.
Decision as to whether the proposed
S3,c00.0o0 dry dock shall be at Nor