St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1915-12-15
LONG SESSION OF CONGRESS
Speaker Clark Does Not Like Long
Holiday Recess.

Holiday Recess.
Speaker Clark expects little will
probably be accomplished by Congress
till after the new year. AS the presi-
dents leading supporter at the capt.
toll, Mr.. Clark is impatient because
work cannot proceed. He said mem
bers were insisting upon a two-weeks'
Christmas recess. They had hardly
arrived before they wanted to go home
again.
This appears to presage a period of
inactivity the latter half of December,
while President Wilson is away on his
wedding journey. Presumably the
important committees will show indus
try but it is always difficult to per-
suade representatives to apply them
selves. when most of Congress is TAX
ing a vacation.
The representatives have been COM
ing into Speaker Clark's offices in the
last 10 days He is in a better posi-
ton than anyone else at the capital
to know what is in their minds. 1--WE
are here" said he. 'for a very long
session Of Congress. I do not see, for
the life of me- how the great amount
of work ahead can be disposed OF be-
fore next August Little will be &C
complished right away. 1 am con-
WINGED the House favors military pre-
parations, just how much" he added
significantly, 'is hard to say. Some
where between such extremes as the
governor of a state, who said we
should have a standing army OF q
900, 600 men, and the fellows who
would not fight over anything, there
should be middle ground that sensible
men can take.
Debates in Senate and House over
preparedness may be expected soon
The forces, pro and con, are glrdlne
themselves More men are more Gag
er for time" on this oratorial topic
than for anything else. Mr.. Bryan
conferred with some representatives
including Majority Leader Kitchin, II
is said, before he left for Florida. This
is supposed to mean the ex-secretary'
followers in the House are making
ready for an active fight But apart
from that stands the fact that many
members of Congress are DESTROYS OF
lbeing educated up to the preparedness
situation. They not only wish to heal
the debates but would learn from the
hearings which Senate and House com
Hmittees will conduct.
Senator Johnson of Maine, a mem
| Der of the naval affairs committee
said he had not met a senator who
was against preparedness. He be-
1ieves very few senators will oppose i
and strongly approves the co-opera-
ton of republicans with President vii
son to make this legislation non-parti
san The Maine senator thinks 1T pre-
ferable to complete the proposed naVa
program in three years instead of five
| Sugar and wine are giving the con
eressional leaders most trouble in con
nection with the extension of wal
taxes. Some are urging that the con
tinued tax on sugar be included in tn
war taxes bill, but there are fear
this would provoke debate in tn
Senate and prevent a vote. Similarl.
the sweet wine tax, which has been ;
failure because of it's drastic features
could properly be modified at the
same time But important as som
modification of it is conceded to be
the democratic leaders are very ner
vous about attempting to get tn
amendment through now.
Congressional sentiment is still ia
from being crystalized on the majo
questions of the session. The of1cia
world is in more or less of a hubbul
over the variety of distracting event
and it will be several days before any
thing like quiet and orderly procedur
are resumed. Next Saturday is gen
orally proposed as getaway day TO
the Christmas recess and plans are be
ing arranged all along the line for tn
consequent exodus.