Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-12-07
SHORT SESSION OF
congress BEGINS
Rivers and HarbOrs, Public
Buildings and Good Roads
Will Start Row

Washington, Dec. 7.--Congress con
vened at noon today, with more vacant
seats in evidence than on any opening
day in years,
President Wilson will read personally
tomorrow his message to joint session
of the senate and house
Lenders in both branches Of congress
planned to- rush through such appro
priat!on bills as are usually unoppOsed,
before the holiday recess. A bitter de-
bate was practically certain on the
army, navy and rivers and harbors
bills, however
With Speaker Clark 5 resounding
smash with a mallet big enough for Gro
quet in the house Of representatives,
and Vice President Marshall 5 light tap
with little piece of ivory in the SEN
ate, both previsely at noon, congress
met today for the short session which
will end March 4, 1915,
This short session will be the last
one Of the sixty,third congress- a con.
gress that will go down in history as
one which worked alwjst the entire two
years Of its existence (only one six
weeks recess except the Christmas va
caton) and as one which put through
number of bills which will effect the
country, in all probability, for genera
tions.
The program that must be carried ouN
is the passage of the appropriation bills
These must be passed, and every short
session Of congress in the past has
found difficulty in passing them. But
no congress in the past which has got
ten them through successfully has had
so many perplexing complications waieh
threatened to kill weeks Of time and
prevent the passage of the appropria
tiuns bills,
Then there is the conservation pro
gram in It's many phases.
Fights were also expected today tc
occur during this session on three pork
barrel bills, the rivers and harbors, tn,
public buildings and the good roads bill
The attitude of the president viii
probably determine the fate Of the snil
purchase bill, 40 far as the huuse II
concerned. There is strong opposition
to this measure in both houses, aud
while II was admitted today that |
would be easy enough to force L
through the house by means of rule
there Is no assurance that the presiden
could force the bill through the senat
in the brief time which will be avail
able. Opposition in the senate center
with those senators who are intensel
opposed to government ownership as
general principle.
4. One Of the hottest fights expecte
3 on the appropriation bills is thnt on tn
;. armament question. The European wa
r has, IN their own minds, strengthene
G the arguments Of both the little nav
/. men and the big navy men. The bi
( navy men declare that the suddennet
!, Of this war proves emphatcally the nj
cessity Of being prepared. The littl
b navy men point TO the destruction
T battleships and cruisers by snbmarine
4 and say. "Wny build battleships unit
:, we find out if there is any way TO pre-
/. tect battlesnp from submnrines-a
ships constructed along present line
@ may be made obsolete any day by som
Il. development In this war"
Q Over In the senate the problem
much more difficult, owing to the fac
/ that there is no way Of putting an en-
to the debates on any question 30 Ion
). ns any senators want TO discuss !
Possibilities In this direction are sti
~ fresh In the minds Of senators from III
4 successful flibuster of Senator Bnrto
:. last session against the rivers aud ha
bors bill