The Detroit times., 1916-11-20
Most Of Short Session
Will BE Devoted
to Problem
APPROPRIATIONS
TO BE LARGE
Suffrage and Dry Ad-
vOcates Will Be
Active
10. . 90 corregponfent.

WASHINGTON. Nov 20 Genera
railway legislation and balls grow
ing out Of the eight-hour DAY las
viii occupy the attention ot congres
during its short session which oa
gins December 4 and ends March
Just three months later. Aside ir9a
the passage OF the 1g annual sup
ply bills for the goyernmeu depar.
ments. and consideration of Oh,
railway bills. which were SIDE
tracked during the closing days
the last session az soon az The eight
hour measure was pat thru o. II
not believed many other important
matters OF legislation viii bel taken
up.
The short session ~ coneres.
ends automatically on March and
II Is generally believed that nine
months recess Of congress viii FOL
low. No one feels that any of the
matters awaiting congressional ac
tion will be regarded by President
Wilson OF sufficient importance 60
Justify him In calling an extra ses-
sion 10 dispose OF them With g.
reduced Democratic majority Ia the
house AZ best, II is doubtful whether
any party measures could De
enacted.
Strenuous efforts win be made 20
get votes on two resolutions for the
submission OF constitutional amend.
ments 20 the individual states. The
prohibitionists want the subject o.
nation vide, prohibition -sn-saz- as
congress is concerned, disposed of
In the short session, and the SUI
fragists are equally insistent that
the resolution for nationwide wom-
ans suffrage shall be acted on this
winter.
Tomorrow The Newlands Joint
congressional committee VIII begin
consideration Of the bills 10 meet
the transportation problems OF The
country. and the house naval con-
mittee will open its hearings on the
new s375.000,000 naval sppropria
ton bill in order that the commit
tees may be in position 20 recon
mend specific measures 20 congress
soon after the two houses meet the
hrst Monday in December. The es-
timates for the big annual supply
bills viii be submitted 20 congress
by the secretary OF the treasury
the FIRST day the house is In session
and the committees handling the
appropriation measures will begin
work without delay. Usually little
10 done until after the Christmas
holidays. and a two weeks recess
b ordinarily taken at that time. but
this year il il proposed 10 do away
With the holiday recess altogether.
Indications are that the aggre-
gate appropriations made during the
abort session will be considerably in
cxcess OF a billion dollars
Several bills. which deal with the
relation Of railways and their en-
ployes. were drafted by Senator
Newlands. chairman OF the inter.
state commerce committee, shortly
before congress adjourned last fall
and these are 20 5e used as the
basis OF the hearings and delibera.
tons. scheduled to start tomorrow
For the most part these bills were
drawn up by the department OF JUS
tioe At the time a nationwide tieup
was imminent. One OF these meas
ures would postpone any strike Or
lockout. affecting the operation .;
railroads. until there has been an
Investigation and report by public
body. II authorizes the president In
certain contingencies 10 operate the
railroads for military purposes.
Another bill instructs the inter
state commerce commission to con
slider Increases IN wages in decidinf
whether these should be Increase,
In freight rates. A third bill pro
poses an increase IN the ioterEtat,
commerce commission from III
present membership OF seven G,
nine. and allows it 20 divide int,
groups 20 expedite its work Thi
hill has passed the house
There is an insistcnt demand 90
the passage Of Law, endorsed b.
the administration. which voull
give American business frms IN
right 10 form trade combinations TO
development OF the export busines,
Under existing conditions, foreig
governments encourage busines
combinations for the deyelopmeu
n foreign trade, but firms IN IN