Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-12-05
HIGH LIVING COST
IS BIGGEST ISSUE
BEFORE CONGRESS
Members of House and Sen
ate, Arriving in Washington,
Declare the People Must Be
Relieved
(By Associated Press. ,

CBy Associated Press
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-Consressineh
began arriving at the capital III loiSe
| tonight for the session when OPENS
| Monday Some of the leaders VIII no.
arrive until tomorrow or early Mohudy.
but the rank and file of the house anu
senate were pouring in tonight on every
| train. :.
sues. but it is the general opinion tnat
little other than appropriation pllls can
| be passed in the short session. sur
| face indications give assurances tnat the
high cost of living will at least De
subject of much discussion and that
many proposals will be made, ranging
from an embargo on food exports 10 Oh
fetal investigation of alleged consplr-
acies to initiate prices.
| While congressman appreciate that
| railroad problems, conservation leglsla-
| ton, immigration, suffrage, nauonal
prohibition, corrupt practice measures
and other unfinished general business
will be pressed for consideration, and
| that efforts may be made to investigate
alleged election frauds and expenditures
of the national campaign, these supJects
at present are overshadowed Dy the
high. prices of food and measures for re-
| lief.
For an outline of the administra ton
program members are awaiting the ad-
| dress Of President Wilson before joint
session in the hall of the house Tues
| day.
NIGHT SESSIONS. URGED.
| Because of the crush of business,
| house leaders. among them Speaker
| Clark are advocating abandonment OF
the usual holiday recess and urging
| night sessions at least twice week.
Among returning Democratic senators
| the urging of selection Of new DreSl-
| dent pro tempore is one of absorbing
/ interest. A caucus probably will be
| held early next week. Among senators
| being mentioned to succeed the late
| Senator Clarke, of Arkansas are POme-
| rene, of Ohio; Salisbury, of Delaware;
James, of Kentucky; Walsh. of Mon
| tana. and Bankhead. of Alabama. Some
| southern senator's have urged the selec-
| ton of q western Democrat in recogni-
/ tiOn Of the Democratic triumph at the
recent election in that section. Majority
| Leader Kern. of Indiana, chairman of
| the caucus; is expected to reach Wash
| ington tomorrow, after which formal ar
| rangements will be made for choosing
| the president pro tempore. Speculation
/ regarding the majority leadership al
ready is general in view of the defeat of
Senator Kern for reelection. Southern
| senators are sounding out their col
| leagues on behalf of Senator Martin, of
| Virginia. Senator Walsh s.being cham
pioned by western Democrats.
That the senate will be urged early
in the session to consider the corrupt
practices bill limiting campaign con-
tributions and to investigate expendi-
lures of the last campaign was assured
| today by an announcement of Senator
Owen of Oklahoma that he would
demand early consideration of his cor
rupt practices bill and would again press
some form of clOture to get a vote on
the measure before March 4. He also
proposes to introduce a resolution di-
recting the committee on privileges and
elections to investigate campaign ex-
penditures of the Republican and DEM
ocratic parties.
PROHIBITION PRESSED.
| Chairman Webb of the house judiciary
committee, upon his arrival today, began
working for passage of his nation
wide prohibition and export trade bills.
lie declared he did not believe the 6uf
! frage amendment would be passed by
the present house.
81 have great hopes that my prohi-
bition bill will pass Mr.. Webb said.
Undoubtedly the liquor question is one
of the greatest issues now facing this
country-the last election showed thai
and it is high time some additional feder
al action was taken on it. The bill
portation and importation of liquor for
beverage purposes. 1t would not inter-
fere with using alcohol for scientific,
artistic or sacramental purposes.
81 doubt if the suffrage resolution
will be reported at the coming session,
although L have not sounded members
on their attitude since arriving here.
ICertainly the suffragists, or a large part
of them. who are clamoring for a FEEDER
al amendment, did everything they could
TO defeat the Democratic candidate in
the last campaign. Hence l cannot see
that they have strengthened their claim
upon us for action in congress. 1 still
think that the suffrage question is one
with which the separate states should
deal"
PRESIDENTS SPEECH.
After President Wilson has concluded
his address at the opening of congress
| Tuesday, it is possible he may deliver
a brief address on the subject of the
high cost of living.
| The presidents plans on the subject
are as yet Indefinite. and may not be
matured until the last moment before he
| goes to congress. 1t is known, how
ever, that the administration considers
the cost of living one of the most press
ing questions before the country and
that many of the presidents close adj
| visers favor considering il in the legis-
Thousands of petitions are pouring
into the White House calling for some
sort of relief from the present era of
higher prices for food, many of them
demanding an embargo on food exports
to Europe. They are regarded by Off
Gals as an indication Of a strong trend
of public opinion toward an embargo,
but it is understood will not influence
the administration in favor of it.
| The course which the president is UNI
derstood to favor is rather an extension
| of present laws to meet alleged con-
| spiracies for cornering foods and fixing
prices. An extensive federal investiga-
tion now is being conducted by United
States attorneys in all the large cities,
and recently United States Attorney An
derson at Boston was placed in general
charge of this work.
| President Wilson is expected to con-
fer with some of the cabinet members
on the subject after he returns from
New York tomorrow. 1t was under
| stood tonight that while the president
may finally decide that he can better
approach the subject in another way,
proposal to take it before congress on