New Britain herald., 1915-12-06
THOUSANDS ATTEND OPENING
 OF SlXTY-FOURTH CONGRESS
Proceedings in Both House and Senate Brief; ; Wilson to Deliver Annual Address
 at Joint Session Tomorrow

\. Washington, Dec. 6.-Congress re assembled at noon today for wha promises to be the most importan and historic session of generation.
 Proceedings in both house and sen ate were brief, being confined en tirely to organization and formal in troduction of some bills and resolu ton. In accordance with custom botl soon adjourned and sent a committee to formally notify President Wilson that congress was in session.
 Joint Session Tomorrow.
 Tomorrow the real work of the ses sion begins when President Wilson delivers his annual message to a join session assembled in the hall of the house..
 Speaker Clark was reelected an6 sworn in amid cheers from the floor ana galleries. In the senate, the organization was perfected by the re- selection of Senator Clarke of Arkan- sas as president pro tempore. Vice President Marshall was not in the chair for the opening
 Clark Lauds Mann.
 In his opening address to the house the speaker paid tribute to Republi- can Leader Mann, and predicted a practically continuous session hereaft- sT.
 II am profoundly grateful to you at the high honor of the speaker ship, thrice conferred by your friend ship and partiality,' he said. "I thank the democrats for their person. al good will which has attended me all my days here. By reason of the amazing growth of our beloved coun- try and the bewildering increase of business the time is in sight when 5he congress will remain practically in perpetual session. hope this congress will go into history as working congress-
 Usual Scene In Senate.
 The senate floor and galleries pre- sented the usual scene.
 James M. Baker. the secretary, called the session to order and the chaplain prayed for divine guidance for the preservation of peace at home and it's restoration abroad.
 Thirty-two newly elected senators then were sworn in. Each was es- corted by his colleague.
 Senate Recesses.
 After swearing the new members in the senate recessed until 2:30 o'clock. !, In the house, meanwhile, bills and resolutions were pouring into the hopper at the clerks desk. National defense measures predominated, and there were many proposals for various There were many bills for rural credits, river and har- Dor improvem ents, extension of the rural mail service and large number of the so-called private bills. Many never will get further than the stage Of introduction.
 The business of introducing bills did not deter some of the old timers from holding receptions. Former Speaker Cannon, Representatives Hill, Longworth and Mckinley and others, as we'll as the leaders of both parties, tWere centers of groups of the latest arrivals.
 Resolutions refiecting the value of those opposed to the national de- fense program and proposing investi- gations of organizations which favor military preparedness were not lack ing. In the lot were resolutions to investigate the Navy league, the Na- tiona1 Security league and the Amer icash Defense society.
 Thousands at Capitol.
 The opening of the sixty-fourth con- gres today drew thousands of persons to the capitol.
 Hundreds began gathering at the historic building early, and long be- fore noon, the hour set for the open ing of congress, the galleries had filled to overf1owing.
 XOutside were hundreds waiting in the hope of getting much coveted seats. Many of them were doomed to 1z who had not already obtained tickets stood little chance of being admitted. Seats had been reserved for the presidents official family, the diplo- n@tic corps and members families and their friends.
 Many visitors, including noted suf- frage advocates, had been drawn to the capitol to witness the offering by Representative Mondell, of Wyoming, of the Susan B. Anthony constitution al amendment for equal suffrage as the first resolution of the new con- gross. Its introduction was to sig nalize demonstration for woman suffrage.
 SuffragiSts Present.
 An added attraction to the usual scenes on the opening day of con- gross was the procession of woman suffragists who presented to a com- mittee of congress a huge petition ur- ging a federal suffrage amendment
 Much important business faces the m 9mbers. Since the gavels Hast fell in the two houses, many momentous questh2ns have arisen. Overshadow- l.ing s0l others are those caused by the European war; but they do not com pose the entire program. In addi- tion to the question of national de- fense and revenues, which fell natu- SraIly under the general head of pre-
 .edness the merchant marine and