The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-02-11
CONGRESS VERGE
'0F FAIRLY COLLAPSE
THINK POLITICIANS
Two Months Of Inactivity Too
machfof Democrats and De-
pfesslOn IS General
Members Of Former Administra-
atlO1s In Washington MhSopI
inult up'For Preparedness
BY ERNEST q. WALKER
tMail special TO The Advertiser)

tMhai Dpocial TO Inc AdvoftiBof)
A congress near breaking down is an
unusual spectacle,at Washington. such a
q congress has not been before IN
many years, although there have been
do.nothing congresses galore. But do.
nothing congresses have been design.
eddy 40 as rule. The leaders thought
II - best after deliberation that little
should be accomplished. This was gen.
orally based ON the theory Of govern.
ment that too much legislation is most
often an evil
But the first session Of the sixty!
fourth congress, Democratic in both
BRANCHES, after nearly two months OF
inactivity, is on the verge of collapse.
Probably 1t will not collapse for sol
enc leader or group OF leaders is GER
tain TO arise with sufficient follow
, ing to push some measures through.
Bnt IL FeDiains that no one thus far
has arisen. Congress is droning away
time IN both branches The leaders,
such as they are, have no power to
change the situation materially. The
President probably would have the
strength to make congress hump itself
hut, for peculiar reasons, he is unwiil.
I ing yet to use 1t. IA
Depression Is General @-
Depression is written all over the
congressional enterprises. Nobody is
hustling. There is a lack of spirit
everywhere. The things that should
be done in days are done in weeks ami
thena usually left unfinished. For In
stance, the senate has been yawning
away on the Philippines self.goveru.
nent bill, which most OF the senators
ofAboth parties are for. 1t has been
debating this bill for more than
month and at this writing ths end, is
not yet The house is doing a little
+ better but not much. Not single one
of the big appropriation bills has yet
{ been disposed Of The house is wait
Ing con its committees. The way a
house committee works is demonstrated
: IN naval affairs. Rear Admiral Stan.
ford, chief Of the bureau of yards and
docks, has been testifying there for
fearly a month. and has Just finished.
lie, issaecapable man but very much Of
a subordinate in naval affairs, having
to do primarily only with construction
and maintenance of yards and docks.
Naval Affairs Bind Committee
Tberes are. eight, or nine bureaus in
the navy department, all of them inn
pOrtant, but most Of them of larger rel
alive importance in the fighting equa-
tion than yards and docks. The con
elnsion Is plain that TO hear these va
rious bureau chiefs, to say nothiEg of
divers experts and others who would
want to testify, or should be allowed
to testify, the house committee would
be. occupied for the best part of a year.
The proposed navy increase comes on
the regular naval appropriation bill,
however, and this bill is made up on
the annual testimony now being tax.
en-. Little wonder that lot of men
are becoming thoroughly Disguised.
ROOSEVELT In background F..
" There has been a marked infusion
pr high former officials from past Re-
publican administrations during the
past week. They have been in Wash
lneton attending sessions of the Ma
tionRl Security League and whooping
u up for a big army and a big navy
Just when Democratic energies in con-
gress have been at rather low ebb.
Practically all these Republican former
officials tlre. from Coast states, where
, demands for preparedness are nearly
unanimous. There have been former
Attorney General Wiekersham. former
Secretary Of State Robert Bacon, form
or Secretary of War Luke f. Wright,
former Secretary of War Henry l..
'Stimson, and former Secretary of the
Navy George Won l.. Meyer. This list,
OF course, suggests former President
Theodore Roosevelt, in whose cabinets
most Of these men served and, indeed,
during all the sessions of the National
Security League, Roosevelt was very.
conspicnously in the background. He
did not come to Washington but he got
as near as Philadelphia and all the
week he was very active, putting out
a speech eor a written statement of
rome Kind about preparedness almost
n every day. gr,s.e 81 s.
j May Help Boost Colonel a.. ~
Z This league, il is readily inferred, is
: very much q creature Of the former
PRESIDENTS and has been doing lot
Of effective work arousing public sen
timeht for better armament but its
.hrtLyities. have heen received with some
POI Mar suspicion ON the ground that
u could be made an exceedingly If.
iIeetive Organization for helping boost
Rvoheyelt agair into the presidency 1t
was noticeable that during the prolong.
. 20 deliberations of the week there was
studded effort to ignore President vii
sSns recommendations for prepared.
ncss. neeretaIygo Of War GassiSrD got
q iittl, praiss now and then hecause
he "a acceptable TO the regular army
authorities as head of the war depart
mont Secretary Of Navy Danieis on
tho other hand was stuliously ignored
and former Secretary Meyer whom he
Aneeeeded was made very much of a
VI M .N.s
Aleo Heirs. Prelident Wilson
Nevertheless the National Security
League, with its thrOng Of prominent
AnasavaIt adharanta ,,,nst 80 -. -