The Oskaloosa herald., 1915-12-09
REGULAR SESSION
OF CONGRESS OPEN
SENATE AND HOUSE CALLED TO
ORDER AT NOON.
CROWDS IN BOTH THE CHAMBERS
Former Speaker Cannon and w. 3.
Mckinley of Illinois Appear as
Members of the Lower
House.
MAKEUP OF e4rH CONGRESS.

Washington, Dec. 6.-Promptly at
noon today the senate and house were
called to order, and the first session of
the Si&ty-fourth congress, which gives
promise to being epoch-making, was
declared open. Both chambers were
crowded to their capacity, for virtu-
ally every senator and representative
was present, and the unusual impor.
,tance that attaches to the delibera-
lions OF this congress caused the gal.
leries to be thronged.
At the invitation of Speaker Clark,
DIR. Anna Howard Shaw and other off,
GERS of the National Woman Suffrage
association occupied the speakers gall
lery in the house, and the interest of
these women was intensified by the
promise of Representative Mondell of
wyoming that he would signalize the
opening day by introducing a reso-
luton proposing an amendment to the
constitution enabling women to vote.
"Come-Baeks" and New Talent.
The acute international situation.
due to the world war, the question of
adequately preparing the country for
defense, the problem of trying to turn
a deficit into a surplus in the nation.
al pocketbook to meet heavier ex.
penses than ever before, the presiden-
tial election year, and a multiplicity
OF other important things will COM
bine to fill the session from beginning
to end with animation.
Some of the leading roles will be
played by Interpretations of bygone
congresses-men who return from
Elba" after two years. exile following
the 1913 upheaval. The chief expert
enced actor of this class is Uncle Joe"
Cannon, dethroned as speaker four
years ago, and exiled two years ago.
Another Of the old.time stars, William
b. Mckinley of Illinois, manager of
the Taft campaign IN 1912.
There is host of new talent, how
ever. In the house approximately 100
seats were taken by new congress-.
men. The senate saw a few new
faces. OF chief interest among these
were Oscar Underwood, who gave up
his leadership in the house to don
a senator's toga. Curtis of Kansas
is a comeback senator, being one
of the conservative Republicans driven
out in 1912. Broussard of Louisiana
moved from the house into the sen.
ate. Two of the most conspicuous abb
sentees were Elihu Root of New York
and Theodore Burton of Ohio. Their
places were taken respectively by
James Wadsworth and Warren G.
Harding, both of whom are enrolled in
the commonly regarded conservative
element of the senate.
Some Big Problems.
Here are some of the problems with
which congress is called upon to wres-
tie: National defense, tariff tinker
ing, rural credits, conservation, mer-
chant marine, Ceamen's bill amend
ment, currency bill amendment, anti.
trust bill amendment, the information
al situation, the far-eastern question,
an embargo on arms, Mexico, the Phil.
ippines, Porto Rico, Haiti, the Column
bian and Nicaraguan treaties, the Sc
rious deficit in the national revenues.
continuing the war tax, taxing NUM-.
tions Of war profits, building an
armor-plate factory, prohibition, suf-
frage, coditication of the federal stat
utes. and good road building. These
are all on the present schedule. Many
more entertaining questions are bound
to develop after congress gets in full
swing. ..,.
Sentiment of a large element in
the country is considered certain
to inspire some members to re-
new efforts for an embargo on NUM-
lions of war to the allies. II such
a measure is introduced, as It in all
probability will be, some lively argu.
ments on the neutrality question may
be expected. The president is known
to be of the same mind now on this
question as he was last session, that
is, that an embargo on arms, far from
assuring the United States impartial.
ity in the war, would actually be In di
rect violation of true neutrality.
Indications of the bitterness to
characterize the battling over the
Philippine question have already been
seen in the attacks of Republican mem.
bers of the insular affairs committees
upon the administration of Governor.
General Harrison. Democrat. appoint.
&c less than two years ago by Presi.
dent Wilson. Charges of mismanage.
ment made in public statements by
the Republicans of the insular AFFAIRS
committees have been refuted by
Democratic members who have visited
the islands recently. Legislation will
DO reintroduced providing limited au-
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