The Monticellonian. [volume] (Monticello, Ark.) 1870-1920, 1916-05-04
BOTH SENATE AND HOUSE ARE
MAKING BETTER PROGRESS
WITH LEGISLATION.
MAY BE THROUGH BY JUNE IS
Upper House, by General Consent,
Limiting Debate-Quiek Action Be-
ing Obtained on Preparedness Bills
immigration Measure in Doubt.
BY eEoRe. CLINTON.


summer, possibly by June 10. For the
first time in years the senate of the
United States is showing a disposl-
tion to limit debate and it is doing
this by the general consent of all the
senator's
The fixing of the vote on the army
preparedness bill in the senate for
April is was a huge surprise to the
representatives sitting in the lower
house because they had made up their
minds that their colleagues of the up
per house would discuss the army bill
at least until the middle of May The
navy bill probably will be put through
the house by April %, and it is I'M
derstood that the senate will give it
consideration and vote upon it one
way or another in a shorter time
even than it took to discuss the army
bill.
The house and senate army bills are
so different in their nature that some
little time will be taken up in confer
ences in order to secure an agreement
in the form of a compromise, but al
ready the plans for yielding here and
insisting there are being formulated
and it seems as if by the time the
conferees meet there will be pretty
good general understanding concern
ing the paragraphs on which each
house is willing to give way.
Senate Feared Cloture.
The discussion concerning the ad.
visibility of adopting a rule limiting
debate in the senate was sufficient to
make the senator's believe that if dis
cussions were extended beyond rea-
sonable limits, the rule eventually
would be adopted and of course en-
forced. 1t is generally recognized in
Washington that the fear of the intro
duetion and passage of a drastic res
olution in the senate to cut debates
is largely responsible for the short
ness of the speeches in the upper
house at this session and for the pres
emit showing of desire to get things
through as quickly as possible.
OF course there is still a good deal
of work ahead of congress. 1t must
be understood. however. that the
house can dispose of its work quickly.
If the senate continues to manifest the
same spirit of speed that 1t is showing
today, there seems to be little doubt
that even with the many legislative
measures still on the calendar, adj
journment may be about the middle of
the first summer, which means six
days in advance of the time when the
almanacs summer begins.
Not many of the big appropriation
bills have been passed as yet, but the
house makes comparatively short
work of the supply measures, and it
always has been the rule in the SEN
ate to spend less time on appropria-
tons than on any other measures of
moment
immigration Bill in Doubt.
The immigration bill has passed the
house by a majority big enough to
make it seem assured that even if
President Wilson shall interpose
veto it will be passed despite his ac-
ton by the members of the lower
house. In the senate. however, there
is some doubt about this immigration
matter and the fact that there is a
doubt shows how sentiment suddenly
may change The immigration bill con-
tans a literacy clause. which if en-
acted into law. would prevent the ad-
mission into this country of immi-
grants unable to read.
For many years the senate has
been strong for this llteracy test,
while the house has not been so eager
for It. When President Taft vetoed
an immigration bill because of the in
clusion of a literacy test, the senate
voted to pass the bill over the presi-
dents veto. but the house failed so
to do and the bill did not become a
law
Last year President Wilson vetoed
the immigration bill on the same
ground that President Taft had vetoed
one year or two before. The house
failed to pass the bill over the veto
and so it was not necessary for the
senate to act. but it was known in ad.
vance that if the senate had been
given a chance to vote, the necessary
twothirds majority could have been
mustered easily.
This year the situation has changed.
1t looks today as if the house would
pass the bill over the president and
that the senate would not.
Red Cross Preparedness Plan.
The American Red Cross, headquar.
tiers in Washington, with Miss Mabel
7. Boardman as moving spirit of the
central committee and with Ernest
Bicknell as national director, is doing
its own work in connection with the
matter of national preparedness.
The Red Cross has just started
movement which is to be nation wide
in its scope and which is intended to
enable the women of the United States
TO serve their country beneficently in
case. unhappily, the country ever
should become involved in war. The
activities of the Red Cross are the
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