The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-07
Assemblies With Much Unfln.
ished Business ON Hand.
Supply Bills for Next Year
Have Right of Way.
MANY CHANGES AFTER MARCH I
Prominent Members Of Both
Houses About to Retire.
Among Them, Bristow, MUIR
dock and Neeley of Kansas.

Washington. Dec. 7.-Congress got
back to work again today after q SIX
weeks rest to what promises to be
billion dollar session. With crowded
calendars confronting both houses sen-
ators and representatives settled down
to passing the big appropriation bills
and the administration program which
President Wilson will outline in his am
nual address tomorrow in the hope that
a special session may not be necessary
after March 4.
In the house. crowded galleries and
congressman Of all three parties on the
floor, united in a remarkable ovation
to Speaker Clark as he mounted the
dais and dropped his gavel at noon. A
few bills were dropped in the hopper.
some new members were sworn In to
fill vacancies and a large number OF
al Of E. A. Merritt of New York. The
house chaplain. Rev. Harry N. Couden.
in his invocation, prayed That we may
be at peace among ourselves and with
all other nations"
In the senate, Chaplain Prettyman
prayed: Almighty God. we pray that
our message to all the people may b
that Of peace and our influence in an
the world that Of universal brother
hood
In the senate. Vice President Mar
shall tndulgently deferred formally
calling the session to order while sena-
tors held an informal reception and
exchanger greetings. After Senators
Kern and Gallinger had been appointed
to Join house committee formally 70
OF the session the senate took a recess
until p. m.
The house named Representatives
Underwood. Fitzgerald and Mann to
wait upon the president with Senators
Gallinger and Kern. and then a resolu-
tim Qd0nfo<S In 0.9n
morrow as the time Of the Joint ses-
sion with the senate to hear President
Wilson read his annual address. Thea
after resolutions Of sympathy on the
death Of Representative E. A. Merritt
New York were adopted, the house ad-
journed at 1:09 p. m. until noon tomor-
row. se5's. e.
Approximation INNS First.
President Wilson will deliver his an
| nual address, in person. tomorrow from
the rostrum in the hall Of the house
before a joint session. outlining tho ad-
ministration program. Until that II
fully disclosed. the work which will be
undertaken during the comparatively
few remaining days in the life Of this
congress. which dies at noon March
T. remains underlined. except that the
usual appropriation bills are likely to
receive first and chief attention.
Whether the sixty-fourth congress.
chosen at the November elections will
be called in special session or will not
assemble before another year no one
can predict with certainty.
After six weeks Of respite from legis-
lative grinding. during which many
participated in the political campaign.
members Of both houses assembled
prepared to go on with the unfinished
business left over from the last session.
That the general appropriation bills
would be difficult to complete before
March 4, IL much other legislation were
to intervene. was the consensus Of
opinion among leaders Of both dominant
: parties. Circumstances may arise from
the European war or changed condi-
tons in Mexico that may be the de-
Gliding influence in the meeting time Of
tho next congress with its new host of
Republicans in the house.
Changes in Line-Up.
With the falling Of the gavels in both
houses today many legislators, some
| OF them prominent figures for years In
the political life of the nation. turn
! rContfnued Ou pa 0o Five 4