New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-07
CONGRESS AGAIN
in SESSION TODAY
Huge Legislative Task To
Be Accomplished in a
Short Time.
From The Tribune Bureau

Washington, Dec. 6.-Under lower
ing political skies. giving promise Of
parliamentary storm. Congress will
convene tomorrow at noon to begin
the work Of the short session expiring
by law on March 4. 1915.
Discord among the majority leaders,
differences of opinion between the
President and Democratic members OF
both houses. discomfort and dissatis-
faction on the part OF the Democrats
who went down TO defeat in the last
election. necessity for economy 10
meet the requirements of a difficult
financial period for the government
and the perplexing problem of accom-
plishing a huge legislative task IN
short period Of time-all these phases
Of the legislative situation promise
trouble. and Democrats and Republi-
cans alike are hoping earnestly that
there will be no occasion for an ex-
traordinary session when the morning
Of March dawns.
What the President expects Of Con-
gress will be SET forth in the message
which he will deliver before a Joint
session of the two houses on Tuesday
The House leaders, foreseeing compli-
cations. have urged that Congress con-
fine itself to the passage Of the ap.
preparation bills. Leader Underwood
and Representatives Fitzgerald and
Sherley, of the House Appropriations
Committee. contend that this will be
as much as the House can do.
The President. however, viii probe-
bly, ask for the enactment of the ship
purchase bill. which is certain 10 pre-
cipitate trouble and opposition not only
from the Republicans but from some
Democrats on both sides Of the Cap
itol
Stormy debate over the proposal to
investigate the condition Of national
Gefences made by Senator Ledge and
Representative Gardner will probably
begin at the outset of the deliberations
OF Congress. Even if the Democrats
succeed in forestalling the attempt to
turn the light of publicity upon the
army and navy there will be long
discussion.
Even if the House should take the
bit in its teeth-which would be the
occasion of surprise, in view of the
fact that ii is made up of an extraordi-
fary large number of lame ducks, who
ere inclined to attribute their politi-
cal FORTUNES 70 the anu Nph-
fire itself to the appropriation bills,
the Senate will have sufficient work
ahead TO keep it we'll occupied without
having any additional problem, such
as the shipping bill, thrust upon it for
consideration.
The remnants of the Administrations
legislative programme are in the
hards of the Senate committee. They
include the land leasing bill and the
water power bills, the so-called con-
strvation measure and the Philippine
bill. Hearings will be arranged on all
these measures before they are re-
ported to the Senate.
II is doubtful that they will be taken
W for discussion until after the holt
days. In the mean time the apropria-
ton bills will be coming over from the
House, and there is prospect Of legis-
lative Jam. which might set the cal
citations Of the majority leaders awry
and smother the aspirations Of the
rank and file Of both parties for long
rest next summer.
The fate of the immigration bill.
which is on the Senate calendar, also
hangs by slender thread. With
the accumulation of administration
troubles the chances for a vote on this
measure have grown steadily less. II
is understood that the President and
the majority leaders are willing to let
il 20 by the board. to avoid the diem
ma presented by the literacy test.