The sun., 1916-12-05
CONGRESS- CONYENBS
WITH Big CALENDAR
Faces Hard Work and Esti-
mates Aggregating $1,8s4,-
810,654 for Expenses.
HOUSE CHEERS SPEAKER
He Claims Democrats Will
Control 1t-Senate Be-
gins ~Sedately.
HOUSE CHEERS SPEAKER

they are facing a problem In trying to
ms. the supply bills n other impor-
,snt legislation before the session ex-
o,res BY legal limitation on March 4.
The calendar Is overcr6wded with gen.
era, Hesitation. including railroad re-
forms and the high cost Of living 20 new
..ue.. and unprecedented estimates az
srera,ins s~i.s5a.sls.s6+ to meet expendi-
lures for the Government for the fiscal
rear 1918 must be dealt with.
Wilson's Address To-day.
Tomorrow there will be a Joint ses-
slon At p. N. to hear h address Of
President Wilson. Railroad legislation
n ,upplement the Adamson act will be
urged By the President as the o i'm
,ortant problem before the Congress at
this time. It Ia generally expected.
There is a desire to speed things up.
hi, whether this is possible mai to
No seen. TIE Democratic leaders ~
rel, as the President wish to avoid an
extra session, particularly As no one
KNOW. al this time which side will con-
troll the next House The Republicans
largely control the situation will respect
TO the new legislation outside Of the sup
ply bills that can be passed before the
session ends. In the Senate they a
II they so desire interfere seriously with
a. Democratic programme.
Some OF the measures In q general
way. particularly the railroad legislation.
the Republican leaders favor and will
" ---ls NhAtS Daaan h
realized on both sides that the situation
colk for careful management and the
elimination OF all unnecessary legisla-
ton II Con,rees is to complete Its abors.
Signs Of trouble. however. are presented
IN the situation growing out OF the
Asamson law. the food situation and a
threat OF the Democrats to get after Re-
publican campaign expenditures.
Tan,ult In Hoase
The House began its session. to-day
with the customary lack OF decorum.
Thu galleries were filled long before
noon. Returning members strolled into
the chamber and began to exchange
greetings with colleagues, and as he
nun'bi r increased the voices swel'cd to
Bal like volume. which ceased for a
moment when Speaker Clark with a
white rose in his lapel took up the Ravei
ard declared The House will be In or
der"
But the House had M intention OF
being In order. First the Speaker was
salu,ed by the members with a volley OF
hsndclappiEg. punctuated with shrill
yells from the Democratic side.
The clerk was directed to call the roll
BY states. u his voice could not be
heard above the tumui'. vainly the
Speaker pounded with his worn gave!
and exhorted members to take their
seats. At best he could bring about only
. brief lull. Finally the p~erfunctory busi-
ness was finished. and the announcement
was made that 36s members had re-
sponded to their names. though only the
vigilant recorders could tell what man
Der Of repsonse was given.
New Members Received.
Three new members amid the noise
advanced to the foot of the rOstrum
and somewhat timorously held up their
right hands to take the oath OF ONCE
administered by the Speaker in his most
solemn tones Of voice.
These were Representative Harrison
Of Virginia. who will serve for the unex-
pired term of Representative Hay. who
resigned to tax a place on the bench :
Representative woodward of West Vir-
ginia. who succeeds Representative Moss.
and Representative Benedict. who sue
ceeds Representative Stephens Of CaliS
fornia.
Representatives Fitzgerald and
Kitchin presented the usual resolutions
TO appoint a committee to Join with the
Senate In waiting on the President and
to inform the Senate that the House was
ready for business. This one the House
took a recess until later In the afternoon
when the first days formalities were
completed.
Contrast In the senate.
The r%econvening Of the Senate was
very conventional. Se%venty-nine SEN
stors answered present" on the hrst
call and several came In later. Three
Senators-elect were In the rear Of the
chamber-Rert NJ. Fernald OF Maine
who succeeds the late Senator Burleigh
W. +. Kirby. who will succeed the late
Senator James +. Clarke Of Arkansas
and James e. Watson. who defeated
Thomas Taggart in the recent election.
Mr.. Watson will complete the unex'
pred term Of the late Senator Shively
which Mr., Taggart has been flling under
an ad interim appointment from the
Governor OF Indiana.
The new Senators did not get into thelI
seats to-day before the Senate adjourned
1t was explained that the Senate had
not officially heard OF the death OF Sen
ator Clarke. and that until II was An
nounced and the usual adjournment
taken out OF respect for the memory oil
the late Senator there could be no swear
ing IN OF his successor. Senator-eiec'
watson and Senator-elec Ferfnld WERE
impaled on the same parliamentary barb
for all three will take the oath at the
same m A full complement OF thu
friends OF each Of the 'Senators-elect
VINO were in the galleries. were disap'
pointed.
A Recess Taken.
Senators Kern and Senator Gallingsr
leaders Of the Democratic and Repvb'
hcan side respectively. were named Il
wait upon the President. and then fol
lowed quickly . motion to take . recess
until . o'clock to give the COMMITTEES
chance to perform its mission. The oc
eupants OF the galleries filed out looking
als~a ppointed. and many OF them did mo-
return for h later session.
The ~proceedingS At the second seasiot
were Just a. formal ~ at the Arst. IN.
nrst act was the formal report Of tn
committee. which had waited upon tn
president. that the Prssidsnt would com
mnnicate with Congress later.
ihen the House messenger appearet
~ the main door Of the Senate with
message that the House r~sciprocatsd th,
compliments Of the Senate and beggss
the job. -
Speaker Clark esciarsd the meg
H'use. on the basis Of TIE last sjeetios
would show 1t least 3ts Democrat
without Scully Of New Jersey o. nsAke