Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-12-04
National Legislators Asked to
Appropriate Money for HiIo
and kahuIui Harbors and
Pearl Harbor Development
CHAMP CLARK CLAIMS
DEMOCRATS TN CONTROL
Says BOurbonS viii Have at
Least 216 Members, Con-
ceding 213 Republicans;
Fitzgerald of New York
Starts Series Of Bills

(Associated Press by Federal wirelcss)
WASHINGTON, .. c., Dec. 4.-WIth
he opening Of the short session Of
Congress today, the fight for an en-
largo on the expectation Of food stIffs
rom the United States has begun.
This and other bills directed 10 solve
,art Of the problem Of the nhlgh eses
fIiving" were launched in the house
" Representative J. J. Fitzgerald Of
New York, chairman Of the approp0a-
ions committee, who had previously
sserted he would Introduce such
neasrrcr. tnc.ah the head Of HE
,afty, President Wilson, has expressed
himself as against the embargo plan.
The opening Of Congress was mark
,dt by the introduction of the usual
lood OF bills, which began pouring
hto the clerks basket as soon as the
touses were called to order and the
iormal prelininaries of getting settled
finished.
Appropriation bills are already be-
hg featured. On the opening day Con-
5ress was asked to Appropriate $33s
l36,063 for the improvement and
maintenance in 1913 OF national rly
srs and harbors.
Hawaii figures Importantly in tlle
+ivers and harbors program One
-iundred ard Hftg athoneand dollnI8 I1
lsked for HfTo harbor improvements
md S110,00o for improvements q ka'
hului.
Hawaii also figures In the navy de-
9artment's budget placed before this
session. For aids to navigation" IN
connection WITH the development Of
Pearl Harbor, $4,000 Is asked and for
the construction and equipment Of
lighthouse depot for Hawaii $4,000
is sought.
New Record for Expenses
Though this is a short session, the
appropriations will be huge. 1t Is ex.
pected. The estimates of expense for
all branches of government In 1918.
for which Congress must appropriate
funds, total 81. .26S,715,S34.
This is exclusive Of s325.355,820 to
be appropriated for Lostal purposes
The appropriations for 1917, ending IN
June, exclusive Of these two items.
amounted to $1,1S4,157,617 The IN.
crease for the succeeding year
amounting to some ss4,000.000, repre-
sents the increased cost Of government
living, OF the increased cost of public
business
For Panama, s25,145,562 Is asked.
The war department estimate l.
S4l1,352. .447 and the navy department.
estimate 1882. .4S7. .537.
Though the flood Of bills and res9
lutions is very heavy, many are eH
pected to die In committee with tie
passing of this Congress.
Democrats Confident
Cnaml. Clark; speaker of the house.
expressed himself as confident tat
the reorganization of the next house.
following the recent elections, viii
continue the Democrats in control He
said that on the basis Of election re-
turns, there will be at least Z16 Demo
Gratis seated, without Thomas }. Soul
ly of New Jersey and samuel W
Beakes of Michigan, who. the Demo
Gratis claim, were properly elected but
whose seats are to be contested, Il -
expected, by the Republicans.
Speaker Clark comedies that zl3 Re
publicans will be seated but said that
the Democrats will undoubtedly con.
troll"
Representative Fitzgerald Of New
York began early on his program de-
signed to check the high cost Of Nv
ing. He introduced four bills directed
toward lowering the prices for food.
Two Of these bills propose an en-
barge on the exportaflon Of foodstutI5'