Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-12-04
National Legislators Asked to
Appropriate Money for Hilo
and kahului Harbors and
Pearl Harbor Development
CHAMP CLARK CLAIMS
DEMOCRATS IN CONTROL
Says BourbonS Will Have at
Least ZIG Members, Con-
ceding 213 Republicans;
Fitzgerald of New York
Starts Series of Bills
Associated Press by Federal wireless)

(Associated Press by Federal wireless1
WASHINGTON, o. c., Dec. 4.-With
the opening of the short session Of
Congress today, the fight for an en-
barge on the expectation at food stHffs
from the United States has begun.
This and other bills directed to solve
part Of the problem Of the high cost
Of living were launched In the house
by Representative j. J. Fitzgerald Of
New York. chairman Of the appropria-
tions committee, who had previously
asserted he would introduce such
measures. the"qh the head Of hls
party, President Wilson, has expressed
himself as against the embargo plan.
The opening Of Congress was mark
ed by the introduction OF the usual
flood of bills, which began pouring
into the clerks basket as soon as the
houses were called to order and the
formal preliminaries of getting settled
finished.
Appropriation bills are already be-
ing featured. On the opening day Con-
gress was asked to appropriate t32,
136,063 for the Improvement and
maintenance in 1918 Of national riv
erS anu narDOrS.
Hawaii figures Importantly IN the
rivers and harbors program. One
hundred and fifty thousand dollars Is
asked for Hilo harhor Improvements
and S110,000 for improvements Aat Ka-.
hnlui.
Hawaii also figures IN the navy de-
partments budget placed before this
session. For aids to navigation IN
connection with the development Of
Pearl Harbor, $50, 600 Is asked and for
the construction and equipment Of q
lighthouse depot for Hawaii 100000
is sought.
New Record for Expenses
Though this is short session, the
appropriations will be huge, II Is ex-
pected. The estimates Of expense for
all branches Of government In 1918.
for which Congress must appropriate
funds, total $1.26S,715,S34.
This Is exclusive Of $325,355, 800 to
be appropriated for postal purposes
The appropriations for 1917, ending IN
June, exclusive Of these two items
amounted to 31,1S4,157,617. The IN.
crease for the succeeding year,
sents the increased cost OF government
living. OF the increased cost of public
business.
For Panama. s25,145.562 Is asked.
The war department estimate Il
3411, 1,352,44 and the navy departmext
estimate $685., 2,497, ,5s7.
Though the flced Of bills and res1
lutions is very heavy, many are ex
pected to die in committee with the
passing Of this Congress.
Democrats Confident
CiiamE Clark, speaker OF the house,
expressed himself as confident Ihtt
the reorganization Of the next house,
following the recent elections, viii
continue the Democrats in control. He
said that on the basis Of election ~
turns, there will be at least ZIG Demo.
Gratis seated, without Thomas ]. Soul
Iy of New. Jersey and Samuel w
Beakes Of Michigan, who, the Demo-
Gratis claim, were properly elected but
whose seats are to be contested, Il Il
expected, by the Republicans.
Speaker Clark comedies that 2l3 Re
publicans will Be seated but said that
the Democrats viii undoubtedly con-
troll"
Representative Fitzgerald Of New
York began early on his program de-
signed to check the high cost Of liv-
ing. He introduced four bills directed
toward lowering the prices for food.
Two Of these bills propose an en-
barge on the expectation Of foodstuffs.
to augment the home supply. and one
is to regulate transportation and cold
storage Of foods, while the fourth e.
to regulate tho admission Of farm
products and manufactured foodstuffs
to parcels post, and to reduce The
rates for carrying such commodities.