The Washington herald., 1917-01-26
EXTRA SESSION
SEEMS CERTAIN;
CAUCUS ATODDS
Democratic Senators Fail to
Agree on Program for
Present Session.
TALK ENDS IN WRANGLE
Presidents Railroad Legislation Meets
Opposition-Grsyson Also
Proves Snss.

A caucus of Senate Democrats last
night failed to decide upon a iesisiatsvs
program for the present session OF Com
gress which worId eliminate the nece.-
sity for an extra session of Congress-
after March & After several hour, Of
wrangling the caucus found itself un-
able to agree upon a program, and re-
ferred the legislative situation back 20
the democratic steering committee fog
consideration. Efforts Of Administers s5on
leaders to clear the way for President
Wilson'S legislative measures terrninateA
IN wrangle which demonstrated that
an agreement to prevent an extra session
was impossible.
The Presidents program Of railroad lex-
isiadon, placed at the head of the iist
OF measures to be considered at once by
administration leaders, was Temporarily
side-tracked. The conference broke up
after discussing proposals to begin work
al once on the corrupt practices bin
recommended by the President oouservs-
ton legislation. or the food control bin
appropristins Federal funds to combat
river overflow.
Doom of Program Seen
The doom of the Presidents railroad
legislation program az this session Of
Congress was apparently sealed when
the Democratic Senators were unable
to agree on a course Of action at last
nights caucus
The caucus was confronted with n
series of fights over various measures
which the steering committee sought
TO eliminate from the program Of gen
eral legislation. In addition TO the
differences over the railroad legfsls-
tion, administration Senators faced Sc
rious opposition from Senators who
VI 1T h1N N.zH,
ures sidetracked to make way for the
railroad program. corrupt practices
legislation. conservation bills and the
Webb export trade bill, whsch ne
President insists upon
New Program Oaered.
A new railroad progrsm vas lsid be-
fore the caucus in tentative form and
contained the following strike preven-
ton provisions:
A law making IL unlawful TO interfere
or obstruct trains engaged in interstate
commerce with a penalty OF 500 fine or
Imprisonment for six months
A law making II misdemeanor for
the employees OF any railroad engaged
IN Interstate commerce, after quitting
work, to trespsss on the property OF the
railroad for violence or intimidation
A law authorizing the President 10 take
over and operate the railroads in ttns
Lewis Sees President
Senator J. Hamilton Lewis. Of minoi,
Democratic whip. called on President VII
son late yesterday and discussed with
him at length the plans for avoiding an
extra session. He told the President that
by oint Of extra hours OF sessions night
work and full speed ahead a curtaiIed
program might be forced through ana an
extra session avoided but that in order
TO accomplish this both Houses must
speed up. He did not tell the President
that his railway program was doomed nor
did he bring with him TO the caucus an
ultimatum on the subject Of the modified
regulation measure.
The administration Senators also enter
ed the caucus determined to obtain from
their colleagues the guarantees OF COM
plete party unity in executive sessions OF
the Senate when the nomination Of Dr..
Cary T. Grayson, L. s. N. to be a rear
admiral comes up for Consideration Many
Senators with friends among the medical
officers who have been jumped In the line
Of promotion by the catapulting of DR..
Grayson to the top OF the heap were ex-
ceedingly sore that the President should
have thrust this embarrassment upon
them at this time. They realized that the
promotion Of DR.. Grayson. however rneri-
torious, was a long way from being pop-
ular and they would like to have unani-
nous support Of the confirmation from
the fellow partisans when the Republican
attack opens.