Omaha daily bee., 1916-12-04

struction in the elaborate three-year
building program authorized at the
last session as part OF the admin
stration's plan to strengthen the ma
tional defense. There also remain to
be acted upon important conserva-
ton measures which the president and
many members OF both legislative
branches have been advocating.
Beside those measures President
Wilson wants congress to enact the
Webb bill to make it legal for Ameri-
can corporations to MAINTAIN col
lective selling agencies for foreign
countries. Under terms OF the Clay
ton antitrust law such agencies
would be unlawful The president
was disappointed over failure OF the
senate to pass the bill in the closing
days of the last session and expressed
his regrets in formal statement.
Defense Measures Pending.
With regard to the national defense
there are, beside the regular army,
navy and coast defense supply bills,
several measures bearing on the mill
tary efficiency Of the country. Among
them is the Chamberlain bill for a
modified form OF universal military
training modelled after the Swiss sys-
TEN. Hearings are to be held by the
senate military committee, but action
before adjournment seems improb-
able.
Estimates on, the naval bill call for
-, aOaarI,tura. nj
mately $500, 0,000.000 and authorization
for construction of three dreadnaughts
and at least one battle cruiser to add
to the four dreadnaughts and four bat
tie cruisers ordered constructed as
soon as possible in the big naval bill
of the last session. To keep up with
the three-year Building program pro-
vision also should be made for addi-
tional scout cruisers, destroyers, fleet
and coast submarines and auxiliary
ships.
Water Power Bills.
Conservation legislation will be de-
manded by its champions, but wheth-
er time will permit is a dubious mat
ter. Water power bills, which failed
at the last session will be revived,
They include the public lands water
power bill and the measure to provide
for development of water power sites
in navigable streams by private capi-
tai. There also is pending the New
lands $60,000O00 bill for general de-
velopment and co-ordinated control
of the country's waterways, Measures
are pending also for conservation OF
mineral resources and improved con-
troll of the food waters. Measures
left over for which attention will be
asked are the Shafroth bill to provide
civil government for Porto Rico and
the Hoke Smith bill to create a sys-
TEN of vocational education with fed
eral aid throughout the states.
Three New Senators. +,
The senate will have three new
members to inaugurate when the
gavel falls tomorrow. 1t also must
elect a new president, pro tempore,
owing to the death of Senator James
P. Clarke of Arkansas. A new ma
jority leader must be elected for the
next senate, owing to the defeat of
Senator Kern of Indiana, and there
is considerable maneuvering among
democratic senator's for the honor
OF president pro tempore, Some sena-
tors who covet the leadership in the
next senate are being urged to ac-
cept the vacancy, but are reluctant
to do so. Among those under con-
sideration are Senators Salisbury of
Delaware, Walsh of Montana, Over
man Of North Carolina and Bankhead
of Alabama. In the selection the
democrats must take into considera-
ton what is likely to be done with
the majority leadership next year.
If that is to go to southern demo-
crat--and the successor to Kern most
prominently mentioned is Martin OF
Virginia--the new president pro tenn
pore probably will be chosen from
the northern democrats
Three new senators, who will take
their seats tomorrow, are James E.
Watson, republican, of Indiana, cleo
ted in place of Thomas Taggart.
democrat, to fill the vacancy caused
by the death of Senator Shively; Bert
M. Fernald, republican, of Maine, who
succeeds Senator Burleigh, deceased,
and William T. X;;shy, democrat, OF