Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-10-09
Congress Closed

which began on April 2, closed on Sat
urday afternoon at o'clock, and its
members departed for their homes to
await the call of the next session
on December Sd. The session is gen
orally regarded as the most mo-
mentous in American history. 1t
appropriated unheard of billions for
war measures.
The work of the session was praised
by President Wilson in a statement,
saying:
"The needs of the army and navy
have been met in a way that assures
the effectiveness of American arms
and the war making branch of the
government has been abundantly
equipped with the powers that were
necessary to make the action of the
nation effective"
"The sixty-ffth congress, now ad-
journing," the president added, ode
serves the gratitude and appreciation
of people whose will and purpose 1
believe it has faithfully expressed.
One cannot examine the record of
it's action without being impressed by
its completeness, its courage, and its
full comprehension of a great task.
degree and as far as possible in the
81 believe that is has also in equal
face of war safeguarded the rights
of the people and kept in mind the
considerations of social justice so Of
ten obscured in the hasty readiust-
ments of such a crisis.
ut seems to me that the work of
This remarkable session has not only
been done thoroughly but that it has
also been done with the utmost dis
patch possible in the circumstances
or consistent with full considera-
ton of the exceedingly critical mat
ters dealt with. Best of all, it has
left no doubt as to the spirit and de-
termination of the country, but has
affirmed them as Loyalty and as en-
affirm them on the firing line"
President Wilson went to the CAPT
toll shortly before o'clock to sign
bills and to be present at adjournment
of congress. Among the bills signed
by the president were:
The urgency deficiency bill, carry
ing SITES, $4,000; the trading with
the enemy act; and the army and
navy insurance bill.
Among the most important measures
were:
The army draft law, two war cred
its measures, authorizing loans to the
allies, and sale of domestic bonds; the
war tax law, appropriation of $780,
100000 for airplanes, the espionage
act, control of foods, feed and fuel;
the trading with the enemy act, in
Guiding authority for the president to
embargo imports, the soldiers and
sailors insurance act and two war
budget bills.
The principal disputes of the SEES
sion were on the draft, food control,
and war tax bills, with opposition CEN
tered i'll the senate. Cloture was twice
resOrted to thereon the food and war
tax measures-but it's actual imposi-
ton averted after a month was spent
on each bill.
During the session six allied mis-
sions appeared before congress, ad-
dresses being made by Lord Balfour
of the British mission, Premier Vivi-
ami and Marshal Joffre of the French,
Prince Udine of the Italian, Baron
Moncheur of the Belgian, Boris Bak-
ometeff of the Russian and Viscount
Ishii of the Japanese.
Congress also found time to take
action on two important domestic mat
ters-prOhibitiOn and woman suffrage.
Besides prohibiting further manu-
facture or importation of distilled bev-
erages and authorizing the president,
in the food control bill. to stop or
curtail that of beer and wines, the
senate by a vote of 65 to 20, also
passed the Sheppard resolution pro
posing a national dry additional to the
federal constitution. 1t is pending in
the house for action at the December
session.
The last five hours of the session
were spent in listening to Senator
LaFollette defy his critics who were
seeking his expulsion, and in hearing
LaFollettes colleagues denounce the
course taken by him in unmeasured
terms.