Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-18
"DRYS" WILL FORCE
MEASURE TO VOTE
Expect District Bill to Pass SEN
ate Before This Week
Is Out.
FATE IN HOUSE IN DOUBT
Congress Starts To-Day on Leg
islative Cleanup Before
Christmas Holidays.

wASHINGTON. December l7.-Con-
grcss Will start out tomorrow on a
cleanup for Christmas, to clear the
way for Santa Claus and the holiday
recess. The House will continue the
consideration of routine business at
high speed. and the senate will do it's
best on general legislation. with tho
bill to make the District of Columbia
dry" at the head OF the list
Present plans OF congressional lead
ers call for holiday recess from Fri
day to Tuesday, January 3 But both
Senator's and Representatives will be-
gin the holiday exodus early in the
week. and by Friday I, is expected that
majority of both houses will be away
from Washington. Action on Presi-
dent Wilson's Legislative program. in
Guiding his recommends tiuns for rail-
road Legislation, will be postponed by
both houses until after the recess.
FIGHT FOR PROHIBITION
IS IN CENTER OF STAGE
Meantime, the fight for prohibition
will occupy the center of the congress
sional stage. Senate dry" advoc:x @ s.
arc determined TO force the Sheppard
bill TO make Washington dry" TO n
vote as soon as possible. and before
the week is out they feel certain that
the measure sill go through the SEN
ate by substantial majority. 1t will
then go to tho House. where its fate
is in doubt The Senate "wcts" will
concentrate their fight on an amend
nent to submit the prohibition propo-
sition to referendum vote In the
District. which is complicated by a
proposal to give the women vote on
the issue. Failure 10 reach an agree
mcnt Yesterday in time fo. vote on
the BILL indicated that the "wets" will
fight TO delay the final disposition OF
the measure as long as possible but
Senator Sheppard said oday that he
expected a vote within few days.
The holidays will postpone Senate
action on the railroad program. pro-
posals for universal military training
and the Presidents plan to leGalize
combinations of American manufac-
turers and merchants in the foreign
trade. On all of those matters. SEN
ate committees will begin hearings
soon after the Congress reconvenes in
January.
In the House the leaders will press
the routine program Of supply bills
and they plan to break all records by
passing four appropriation bills before
Christmas The Indian bill already has
been passed. the legislative. executive
and judicial appropriation bill Is under
consideration. and the District of Co
lumbia and diplomatic and consular
bills will be reported To the House
from committees this week. Majority
Leader Kitchin said to-day that he cx-
pected To dispose OF all of the measures
before taking the holiday recess on
Friday.
LINING UP IN THE HOUSE
FOR TWO GREAT STRUGGLES
Prohibition and suffrage fights will
lie lined up In the House this week in
preparation for the struggle FOR con-
sidcration o: the universal suffrage and
ri ohibition amendments 10 the Consti-
tutior:. which will be taken up after
the recess. Pressure will be brought
10 bear on the House Rules Committee
to force out special rules for the con-
sidcration of hotn of these measures.
There will be little difficulty In secur-
inr ll:Ic for the prohibition amend
mcnts. but a vote on the suffrage pro-
posal may be delayed until later in the
session
Resuminc consideration of the leGis-
lative appropriation bill Tomorrow, the
House probably will pass IL not later
than Tuesday Discussion OF the Nolan
a-day minimum wage bill! for all
Federal employees. which will he Of
fered rs an amendment. may require
several hours. Having disposed of this
measure. the District OF Columbia ap-
preparation measure to be reported to-
morrow Will be taken UP. The Judici-
airy Committees favorable report on
the webb nation wide prohibition
measure probably will bc submitted at
the end OF this week by Representative
Carlin OF Virginia. member OF the
committee. who recently became con-
verted to the dry" cause. 4 rule for
consideration of the resolution will not
he asked until after the recess
The House Ways and Means Com
initt"e is working hard in an endeavor
to find funds to finance the government
next year. and II has it's hands full
Chairman kitchin SAYS he Is at hIs
wits end to discover some new sources
OF revenue