West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-12-07
NUMBER 2
Leaders Are Holding Conferences
for Purpose of Adopting "Speed
Up Program so that Important
Legislation Can be Passed With
out the Loss of Time

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4.--Congrsss
re-convenod today for three months
session WITH calenda over-.towded
with general .tgisistion facing rail-
road reforms and the high cost OF iiv-
Ing aB new issues, and confronted with
unprecedented estimates aggreEating
N,654,Sls,654 to meet expenditures OF
the government for the fiscal year OF
1918.
Both houses adjourned early as q
mark of respect TO tho iate Senator
Clarke OF Arkansas, and resident Com
missioner Rivera OF Porto Rico. both
OF whom died since the oSptcmber ad-
Journment. Tomorrow there will be a
Joint session I'm the hall OF tho House
TO hear the address OF President VIII
son which will contain recommends
tions for Legislation sought by the ad-
ministration before tho cath Congress
dies March 4th next. That railroad
Legislation to supplement the Adamson
act will be urged by the President as
the most important problem before
Congress- at this time is generally ac-
cepted.
How TO expedite their work is tho
problem which leaders OF both houses
are endeavoring to solve and frequent
conferences for the purpose OF plan
ming program will be held as soon az
the President has indicated his de-
slres. Besides railroad legislation
there is strong public demand for
some legislative action to curb the
soaring prices OF food, and I'm addi-
ton measures which always take time
and must be passed. there are other
Issues TO bo dealt with. The Senate
has the immigration bill, the corrupt
practices bill, further TO limit cam
paign contributions and expenditures.
the Webb bill to grant authority TO
domestic corporations for maintenance
of collective foreign selling agencies.
conservation and other measures.
Then an investigation into expendi-
lures OF the recent national campaign
is proposed and Senator Owens OF Ok
lahoma, will introduce Joint resoiu-
| tion directing that such an inquiry be
Instituted at once.
Hasty conferences OF House leaders
today convinced majority that q
speed up" program advocated by
Speaker Clark will be adopted with
only slight changes at the most. Ma
| jority Leader Kitchin Joined with the
| speaker In declaring that the usual
long Christmas holiday should be dis
pensed with and an earlier meeting
hour than noon probably 10 o'clock,
set.
The high cost OF living and what
steps the Federal government can take
to control IL assumed proportions aa a
nation question with the convening OF
Congress today which overshadowed
all other issues I'm the first days pro-
ceedings
Tho possibility that President wa.
son will deal with the subject in q
special address grew stronger al
though IL was thought probable thst
the President would select q separate
occasion for 1t, rather than to add Il
as a supplement TO his general ad-
dress tomorrow.
Eleven bills and resolutions, seek.
ing TO check the soaring prices Of food
by stopping shipments to Europe, re-
ducing parcel post rates on food-stufis
or controlling cold storage, were today
introduced in the House.
President Samuel Gompers and
committee Of the American Federation
Of Labor called on President Wilson
and asked him to appoint a special
commission to investigate the food
question. The President assured them
that the government would take some
steps TO meet the situation bat it was
not clear that they had been decided
upon fully. The President is under
stood to prefer not to appoint COM
mission as IL practically would bo
without authority to compel testimony
while II Is realized that ConEression-
al investigation probably would mean
a protracted delay.
reports being gathered by tho de-
partment OF Agriculture and Com
merce are being laid before the Presi-
dent as fast as they are compiled and
upon them he is expected to decide
upon any action which undoubtedly
will be prefaced by a special address
TO Congress
One report submitted today by Sec.
retary Redheld and held confidential
as yet. is understood 10 show a wide
margin between prices paid to pro.
ducers and those paid by tho consum-
ers
The bills I'm Congress are expected
to produce a general discussion OF the
subject but none OF the administration
leaders thinks any OF the embargo
measures can pass. A series OF four.
introduced by Chairman Fitzgerald OF
the Appropriations committee, propose
embargo. reduction OF parcel post
rates and restriction ofsvGaens. u.
---rrU
why diS