The Washington times., 1915-12-05
STAGE IS SET FOR
OPENING OF SESSION
Defense to Be Big Issue Before
Congress Which Will AS
sembIe Tomorrow.
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attach to the forthcoming message,
both for legislative and political rea-
sons.
Among the problems which these g."
sion beginning tomorrow will be
called on to face will be that OF the
Government construction and owner
ship of a merchant marine. The Ad
ministration will back this proposed
legislation as strongly as ever.
The tariff question Will be con-
sidered with special reference to ex-
tension Of the sugar tariff and anti
dumping" legislation.
Other Important Issues. ,,
Other questions to be faced include
rural credits. the Philippine inde-
pendence bill, national prohibition,
woman suffrage. prohibition for the
District OF Columbia. conservation,
amendment Of the seamen's law. moi.
ification of the Federal reserve act.
child labor and other labor legisla-
tion, and important treaties.
The treaties include those proposed to
be ratified with Colombia, Nicaragua,
and Haiti. 1t is expected there will be
sharp contests in the Senate over their
ratification. Much opposition will de-
Velop.
Growing out Of the interna tional sit
uation, with the greatest war the world
has ever known raging. there Will be
many problems. Proposed legislation
to make 1t the more difficult for spies
and plotters Of foreign powers to make
this country a base OF operations will
come up for action.
Early in the session, there will be a
storm Of oratory in both houses on the
subject OF the rights of neutrals. The
British orders in council and the block
ade maintained by the allies will be ar
raigned. Senator Hoke Smith is plan
ming one of the first speeches on this
subject. and 1t will be a noteworthy ef
fort from the standpoint Of those who
oppose the British policy. and who be-
lieve this country must act more Wig
orously. The Administration foreign
policy Will come in for many attacfs
throughout the session.
Long Session ForeSeen.
For a time. there was a strong pros
pect that the war over cloture in the
Senate would interfere with the routine
OF the opening day But the Senate
Democratic caucus has decided that
cloture shall be considered in non par
tisan way. through the medium OF the
Rules Committee. AS result. the
| routine Of procedure will obtain In both
/ houses with little variation.
| That the session will extend far into
| next summer IL the general opinion. Not
a few believe that Congress will be in
virtually continuous session from now
until March 4. 1917. 1t is certain that II
Congress solves half OF all the momen-
| tous domestic and International uues-
| tions before 1t. it will not stop working
| until this Administration ends.
| On the record made by the present
| session Democratic leaders realize much
| depends with respect to whether they
| retain control of the Government
| through another four-year period. They
| face a situatioIi,-especially in the House
where the Republican minority is much
larger than that of the last Congress
and much more united and vigorous
which Will be in many respects much
more difficult than that In the Sixty
| third Congress.
President Wilson has a much harder
| problem on his hands to control Con
gress than he had at the outset OF his
Administration. and the question o.
how he will meet the test IL all-import
ant from the political standpoint.