The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-06
Both Houses Will Convene at Noon-ElectiOn of the Speaker First Business Before Lower House
MAJORITY OF CHAMP CLARK OVER MANN
 WILL BE 229 TO 197
Democrats Abandon Fight on Cloture Without ln- ternal DissentiOn-Repub-
 lican Minority Increased

Washington, December 5.-On the eve
 of the Sixty-fourth Congress, Washing
 ton tonight was enivened by the arrival of beated members and hundreds of wis., itors attracted by the opening of Con
 gress, the convention of the Congressional
 Union of Woman Suffrage which be-
 gins tomorrow, and the meeting of the na- tional democratic committee Tuesday. Democrats of the House and Senate completed theeir organization plans yes
 terday after a weeks deliberation dur
 ing which obstacles which threatened to | disturb harmonious opening were over come. The Senate democrats agreed not to make the fight for a cloture rule a . party issue and the House majority found way to take care of the greatly in creased republican minority on commit . tees without internal dissension. Legislative issues did not figure mate | rially in the preliminary conferences al- though national defense and extension | of American merchant marine were gen. erally recognized as paramount in the l deliberation over committee assignments CONVENE AT NOON Both houses will convene at noon. In the lower branch the first order of busi- ness will be the election of a speaker When Clerk South Trimble calls the ses- 1 sion to order Speaker Champ Clark will be nominated by the majority (229) for re- election and Representative Mann of H. linois will be proposed by the republicans . Gs0.
 -Spenhrrs csas;4-, ,@i.>aSe eJ..ectioa HJea . the other majority nominees for House offices is assured, upon taking the chair, . will recognize Representative Frank Mon dell of Wyoming. This will signalize a demonstration for woman suffrage. the Wyoming member having been chosen to | introduce the Susan B. Anthony con stitutional amendment for equal suf- frage as the first resolution of the new Congress The speakers gallery will be
 crowded with suffrage advocates of na- tional renown, who propose to make the occasion memorable
 The Senate will convene with Vice Pres ident Marshall absent owing to the illness of Mrs. Marshall. Ir will be called to order by Secretary Baker and the first business will be the inauguration of new ly elected members, 10 be followed inn inediatey by the election of president pro teinpore. Senator James F.. Clarke l of Arkansas will be elected to succeed himself, having been nominated by the
 , democratic caucus last week after fight which had it's origin in the Arkansas sem
 ator's revolt against the ship purchase bill at the last session. Republican sen l ators plan to nominate Senator Gallinger of New Hampshire, who will continue as
 minority leader.
 CLOTURE FIGHT AVERTED A struggle over cloture which had threatened to delay organization of the Senate and House to hear the Presi- dents message on national defense on Tuesday was averted by the democrats yesterday when opponents of cloutre succeeded in convincing it's champions that the subject should be referred to a committee for nonpartisan considera- ton.
 In both houses there will be the usual flood of new bills introduced. Among them will be various measures on the subject of national defense and the at tendant problem for raising increased revenue. There also will be the gov ernment merchant marine bill, prepared after conferences between Secretary McAdoo and Secretary Redfield. Chief interest of the session will be centered
 
 the President when he addresses the Joint session Tuesday.
 In addition to the preparedness is- sue revenue legislation and merchant marine extension other important meas ures to be considered are rural cred it's amendments to the sherman anti trust laws which will aid American firms in extending foreign trade, the Philippine bills, conservation of nat ural resources. national prohibition. woman suffrage and tariff problems In the Senate there are the Nicaraguan and Colombian treaties and the newly proposed convention providing for a protectorate over Haiti, to be passed for ratification.
 Foreign affairs growing out of the war in Europe, disturbances in this country relating to munitiOn sales and neutrality observance will occupy much of- congress attention and investiga- lions into operations in this country on behalf of belligerent governments probably will be undertaken Several resolutions to provide for inquiries of this character will be introduced early In the session.
 ADMINISTRATION PLANS PASS Administration leaders in both branches of Congress seemed to be more optimistic tonight over the out look for desired legislation than they were few weeks ago. The opposi- tion of Representative Kitchin of North Carolina, majority leader of the new house, to the proposed army and navy increases. is recognized as handicap, but the naval and militia committee. reorganized without disturbing the for mer balance of sentiment, have major lties favorable to the administration and leaders feel that these measures will be ably handled and dealt with satisfactorily. On the question of rev enue it is recognized that stumbling blocks are ahead, but it's almost cer- tain that the war tax will be re-en- acted and amended, and the income tax revised The House ways and means committee and the Senate finance com mittee propose to undertake consider ltion of the revenue problem at once. One ground for more optimistic feeling lmong administration leaders is the turn (Centinued on psse Tws3