Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1916-09-15
.THELAST CONGkESS
MADE MANY LAWS
CRISIS WITH GERMANY, MEXI-
CAN IMBRoGLIo AID RAIL
STRIKE GREAT ISSUES.
HISTORY OF PERFORMANCE
$soo,ooo,ooo for Nations Defense
Tariff Commission and Farm Loan
Banks Authorized-ChiId La
Dor Law-Many Failed.

Banks Authorized-ChiId La
Dor Law-Many Failed.
Washington.-The first session of
the 10th congress, which adjourned
September 8, was concerned chiefly
with national defense.
The crisis in congress over the in
ternational situation followed Ger
many's naval order to sink armed
belligerent merchant ships without
warning. Introduction Of resolutions
warning Americans to keep off arm
ed merchantmen caused President
Wilson to halt diplomatic negotia-
tions and go to the capitol to de-
mand a showdown" The result was
the tabling of the Gore resolution in
the senate by vote of 6S to IA on
March 3, and of the McLemore res
olution in the house by a vote of
276 to 142 on Mar h Z. Immediately
afterward the president sent to Ger
many and read to congress note
threatening to sever diplomatic re-
lations unless the German govern
ment Immediately effected a modi-
fication of it's methods of submarine
warfare.
What Did.
When the gavel fell ean.gress had
directed reorganization and reequip-
ment of the army and navy for de-
/ fense of the country at the unpre-
cedented cost of $655,O0O,000, with
authorizations that will increase the
000,000
Congress established a tariff COM
mission, a government shipping board
to rehabilitate the American mer-
chant marine, workmens compen-
sation commission to administer a
new uniform compensation law, a
farm loan banking system, child
labor law, enlarged the system of
elf-government in the Philippines,
railroad eight-hour day law-estab-
fishing eight hours as the standard
for reckoning the compensation of
| oeSNA
interstate commerce after January l.,
1917, and providing for commits
sion of three to investigate the eff
fects Of the eight-hour standard, the
present wages not to be reduced
during the investigation, nor for 80
days thereafter, and work in excess
of eight hours to be paid for at a pro
rata rate, and enacted many other
important laws which had been con-
templated by the administration.
Lots of Work.
The session was disturbed through
out by frequently recurring threats
of foreign complications from the
European war and imminence at one
time of a diplomatic break with
Germany; interference with Amer
ican mails and commerce.; invasion
of American soil and killing of Am
ericans by Mexican bandits, and dan
ger of actual war with Mexico.
Later in the session trouble arose
in the senate over the nomination of
Louis D. Brandeis of Boston, to sue
ceed the late Justice Lamar as
member of the supreme court. Weeks
of investigation and deliberation by
the judiciary committee ended in con-
firmation of Mr.. Brandeis by large
majority.
Averts Rail Strike.
In the week before adjournment
congress was occupied with legisla-
tion which prevented a threatened
nationwide railroad strike. Presi-
dent Wilson, after futile negotiations
with officials of the railroads and
railroad brotherhoods, submitted the
controversy to congress, recommend
ing legislation to prevent the strike