Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1914-01-22
WILL NOT Be IDLE
CONGRESS To-AcT ON SEVERAL
MATTERS OF IMPORTANCE
THIS WINTER.
ALASKA RAILROAD BILL ONE
Public Health Service, Report on Lob
by Inquiry and Suspension Of Free
Canal Tolls Among the Other
Pending Subjects.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.


Washington.-Con may not and
probably will not pass any very dras-
tic antitrust legislation this winter.
but nevertheless both houses will find
plenty to do with measures which,
while they are OF less seeming import
ance than antitrust bills, are matters
of considerable moment to the general
public. Therefore, while congress
may not do any tremendously big
things during the winter. 1t will man
age to keep busy.
When congress quit for the Christ
mas recess the house had three impor-
tant matters OF unfinished business
on Its calendar. the Alaska railroad
bill, a Joint resolution providing for
the appointment of commission to
investigate and report plan for ma
tional aid to vocational education: and
the District OF Columbia appropriation
bill. The senate also had special
order on the Alaska railroad bill and
so 1t seems likely that this legislation
is practically certain to pass before
warm weather sets In.
After the Alaska railroad bill It
seems likely that the Adamson bill to
create a public health service with
more extended powers than those now
lodged in the public health and marine
hospital services will be taken up for
consideration and very likely passed.
Other matters which may receive the
sanction OF congress before the final
adjournment OF the session are the
Booher bill relative to restricting IN
terstate commerce In goods made by
convicts, and the Burnett bill regulat-
ing the immigration of aliens into the
United States.
Await Report on Lobby.
The lobby investigation matter will
come before the house In a sharply
pertinent way before very long. The
members now are awaiting a report
from the judiciary committee on mat
tiers which may lead to action Of some
kind in the case OF Representative
James T. McDermott OF Chicago and
officers Of the National Association OF
Manufacturers in connection with the
investigation of the charges which
were made when the Mulhall lobby
inquiry was on.
II probably will be remembered that
in the report of the lobby committee
all the present members of congress
whose names were mentioned by wit
nesses before the committee were
cleared Of lobbying blame" with tho
exception Of Representative McDer-
mott. In his case the testimony was
laid before the house without any rec
ommendation and 1t is taken for
granted apparently that the house will
take some action looking either to
the punishment or to the exoneration
OF this Illinois congressman whose
name was 80 frequently mentioned in
connection with lobbying activities.
In addition to bills already on the
calendar. there are three other pieces
OF legislation certain to come before
this congress which have not yet
reached the calendars OF either house.
The first of these is the amendment
to the antitrust law, which the presi-
dent will recommend to congress in
special message.
Panama Canal Tolls Again.
The other measures are SAe La Fol.
lette seamen's bill. which has already
passed the senate, and upon which
hearings have been held by the mer-
chant marine and fisheries committee
OF tlse house. and the Adamson reso-
luton. introduced In the house Just
before the Christmas recess, provid-
Ing for the suspension for two years
OF that provision in the Panama canal
act which will give to American coast
wise vessels free tolls. The senate
may add one more measure to this
list In the bill introduced by Senator
Williams on the closing day OF the
pre-holiday session. providing for the
insurance OF bank deposits.
1t is expected that the Adamson
resolution will start again the fight
over the tolls question which stirred
congress up year ago. President
Wilson thus far has made no an
nouncement OF his leanings in this
matter and 1t seems likely that he has
purposely kept from saying anything
about the issue involved because of
his desire to get the currency bill
out Of the way before the other mat
ter was touched upon.
AZ to Labor Legislation.
Labor legislation is both popular
and unpopular in the house of rep
resentatives and the senate. For
some reason or other members and
senators think that II they vote for
such legislation as the labor leaders
ask. they will be sure to get the
support OF labor at the polls. In
this respect therefore it may be said
that chance to vote for labor legisIa.
ton Is popular, but there are times
when representatives and senators are
SO convinced the legislation asked is
not eminently proper that they make
up their minds to vote against II and
by SO doing they feel they may lose
votes. and therefore in this respect la