The Washington times., 1915-12-07

threaten the peace ana safety Of the
nation, the apparent indifference on the
floor and IN the, galleries passed ana
there were tpmultuous cheers 49,, 49,.
The Presidenta recommendation that
there should be enacted Federal laws 70
curb the activities of such creatures OF
passion. disloyalty, and. anarchy, the
applause continued.
The President went on to say that the
individuals he had In mind have formed
plots to destroy property and have en-
tered into conspiracies against the new
trality of this Government. ~
Strikes Responsive Note.
ThiA, brief but positive reference to
these plotters struck a responsive note
in the minds not only OF the members
of Congress- gathered, but also those
occupying seats, IN the, gailertes,s5
Members OF the Farssident,a- Cabinet
had seats e. he Ieft OF hhe
Speakers rostriim. The Wives OF Gabi-
net members were given placeBSn the
Executive gallery and there were also
mother. Mrs. Boiling. Mss Margdret
Wilson Miss Bones. DIR. Cary 7. Gray
son and other close personal friends or
relatives OF the President
Every member of the Cabinet was
present today. and remained during the
reading Of the message.
Headed by the Vice President pro
tempore, Mr.. Clarke Of Arkansas, the
Senators came into the House cham
Der at 12:35 o'clock. Senator Clarke oc-
cupied seat on the rostrum with the
Speaker ~
The Joint committee appointed to es-
cort the President into the chamber
comprised Senators 0Verrnans johnson
OF Maine, James, Works, and Smith OF
Michigan. and Congressman Kitchin,
Fitzgerald, Carlipa Mann, and Fordney
Consumes More Than Hour.
Announced by the House doorkeeper.
Joseph ]. Sinnott. President Wilson en-
tered the hall OF the House by the door
to the left OF the Speakers chair and
went quickly to the reading clerks desk.
He bowed to Speaker Clark and the Vice
President pro. tenn, gave fleeting
glance toward the Executive gallery.
where sat his fiancee. and then pro-
ceeded with the reading of his message
as the applause subsidized.
President Wilson concluded the, read
ing of his message at 1:42 O'Clock. He
had consumed one hour and two min
utes in It's delivery. N
Touch Of the Dramatic.
Crowds began to assemble about the
Capitol entrances and its corridors two
hours before the President arrived to
deliver his message. Appearance of the
s%late and House of Representatives
has ceased to be novel-and, yet there
was today underneath the Capitol dome
a sense of the dramatic, of the expec-
tation that something vital to the well
fare of the nation was being done and
said. , s
The very fact that the keynote of the
Presidents messag e was sensed in adj
vance to be national defense lent to
the situation today unusual significance.
This was no ordinary message about
purely domestic affairs; it's echoes were
to be heard around the world, and other
nations were believed ito be waiting to
see the pace set by the greatest re-
public.
Under such circumstances, It was nat
ural that the Capitol scenes should re-
fleet national enthusiasm. The desire of
citizens in every walk of life to enter
the building and watch the President
Get in motion the machinery for pre-
paredness was natural
All Animation Upstairs.
The throngs were orderly and yet
screly disappointed that admission could
be granted only to few. A limited
number of unfortunate ones, minus
tickets to the crowded galleries. were
admitted to the ground floor of the
House wing. These stood along the low
er corridors and had to be content mere
~ with a glimpse of the President and
his party as they were hurried to an
elevator
Upstairs all was animation. The gal
IerieS began to fill with distinguished
men and women at II o'clock, when the
doors were thrown open.
II the legislators had constituents in
toWn-and most of them had-these
constituents had to be told that admis-
sion was impossible. Scarcely more
than 500 seats We're available in the
House galleries. exclusive of the sec
lions reserved for the Presidents fam
lily, the Diplomatic Corps. and the Su-
preme Court.
with ass House members and ninety.
six Senators-each drawing one ticket
simple mathematics demonstrated that
tho average citizen had no chance
to enter the Capitol building
Taxpayer Gets Rebuff.
A determined man who said he was q
taxpayer" and had a right to enter
his own Capitol engaged in a brief and
fruitless argument with one Of the many
officers about the building. The officer
was sorTy; indeed he had a high re-
spect for taxpayers, but nothing could
be done today.
ing of the House and the subsequent
- calling to order of the joint session
were not out OF the ordinary. After q
routine session of twenty minutes, the
House took recess at 1920 With the
hour for the arrival OF the President
near, the Senators filed over, two By
two, and took the front row OF seats
Members OF the House were immedi'
ately in the rear
Close Attention Paid.
Then the President came and the Gus
tomary committee was named to wal
upon him and escort him to the cham
her.
He entered aud began the reading Of
his message, while the nations law
makers paid attention to every word
The more telling points were applauded
not only from the floor but from thu
galleries-now filled to the doors will
men and women whose faces revealed
the excitement OF the occasion.
Many Seek Admission.
Long before noon crowds besieging tn
Capitol, building for admittRnco re
Elected the absorbing interest in the sig
nifcance of the occasion. The appear
ance OF President Wilson before Con
gress ID no longer a novelty; but tn
scenes attending his arrival toda,
carried one back to his first appearance