Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-07
WEEK WILL SEE ACTION
ON MANY BIG MEASURES
Conservation, Treaties. Ship-Purchasc
and Philippine BILLS of Immediate
Interest Before Congress.
HRANDEIS HEARING PUBLIC
Completion Of National Defense Pro-
gram Being iwaitcd-Strong OPP
position to Continental Army Plan
DcvelOpS-Niay BE Abandoned.

NSiiiN'I TON. FEBRUARY G.--COnSer-
vation legislation. the Colombian aud
Nicaraguan treaties. the government
ship purchase hill. Philippine indepcnd-
"nce and the inquiry into the nomina-
tion of Louis d. Brandeis TO the Su-
preme Court arc the subjects OF inn
mediate interest before Congress for
the coming week, while completion or
tho national defense program is being
awaited.
Water power bills are to be consid-
cred in the open Senate this week al
though administration leaders contcm-
plate dcvotlnG much time to debate Of
the long-pendinE NicaraEuan and Co.
iombian treaties. The former probably
will be called up FIRST. and opponents
OF the treaty propose to make a deter
mined effort to force discussion in the
open. Democratic chieftains. however,
are opposed 10 breaking precedent AMI
predict that the movement 10 abandon
executive discussion will fail.
PUBLIC HEARINGS on
BRANDEIS NOMINATION
Beginning on Wednesday,. public
hearings are to be held on the Rramdeis
nomination before a Senate Judiciary
subcommittee. lrotestants against
confirmation of Mr.. Brandeis are To he
heard first. ami witnesses have been
summoned to testify regarding state
mcnts hled with the COMMITTEES These
relate To Mr.. Bran,lcis'S connection with
the United Shoe Machineries Company.
the . per cent railroad rate case. ana
several private litigation eases in which
he was interested as counsel
In the House Tomorrow Sneaker
Clark will recognize Representative
Padgctt. chairman OF the Naval Com
mittee. TO call up the Navy Depart
mentS bill! TO Increase the number of
inidshipmcn At the United States
Naval Academy, Under the existing
law. l,l6a midshipmcn are maintained
at the Naval Academy. with an average
attendance Of 900. and the Padgctt bill
would increase the aximum TO l27O
National defense bills Viii be pending
in committees throughout the week.
on the House side. Rear Admiral Blue
chief of the Navigation Bureau, will
continue his testimony before the
NaNa! Committee, and tomorrow Miss
Mabel Boardman and others will dis
cuss American Red Cross activities be-
fore the Military Committee. The
House snhcommittees on Fortifications
and on the Sundry Civil Bill will con-
time their sessions. House and SEN
ate Military Committees plan to con-
ciudc hearings on army reorganization.
STRONG OPPOSITION no
CONTINENTAL ARMY
Strong opposition has dcvcloped on
the continental army proposal and
there are Indications of u conference
soon between congressional leaders
and oiiicihiS TO talk over the feasibility
of dropping the continental army plan
ana substituting an increased standing
army aud an enlargement Of the Ma
tionai Guard plan.
Philippine legislation, which has oc-
cupied the floor in the Senate so long.
soon will he debated in tho Hons.
The House Committee on msular Af
fairs already has pending the Jones
self government extension hill which
dincrS IN many respects from the bill
passed by rhc Senate. The commtt,,
Will meet probably on Tuesday and de-
eide whether TO report the Jones bill or
the Senate measure. The Senate bill
passed on Friday.
AS soon as the Indian appropriation
bill! is passed. sponsors of the immirra-
uon bill. with its literacy test and
Asiatic exclusion features. will attempt
TO dispute the post-of;icc appropria-
ton bills right OF way in the House
The post -oilicc bill usually occupies :;
couple OF weeks discussion I'm the
House. 1t carries $500. 1000, 900 and
proposes to change the long standing
practice Of paying railroads according
TO weight Of mails carried to a space
basis. There probably will bc u long
debate on section Increasing the an
preparations for the rural mail ser
wee far in excess of the amount asked
Tor by the Post-Oilicc Department
Administration officials are still urc-
ing early action on the shipping bill.
ana on Thursday Secretaries McAdoo
and Redficld. by invitation of Chairman
Alexander. will appear before the
House Merchant Marin Committee
ON Tuesday Major-GeneraI Cocktails,
Governor of the Panama Canal Zone
will appear before the House Interstate
Commerce Committee TO advocate the
bill TO lcEalze the Panama Canal rules
respecting tolls. with particular refer
cncc to deck loads OF ships passing
through tho big waterway.