The Washington herald., 1917-11-21
The Work Ahead,

On December Congress will con-
vene in regular session. That will be
the 2nst day of the war for America
Folks all over the country will be ask
ing then "And what, pray. does the
Congress have confronting it. as 1t as
sembIes now for its regular work."
A plenty, we would say. a plenty. We
will outline some of the things that
have been suggested either by mem
bers or by the trend Of events. And
this doesn't include a mass of the rou-
tine or local legislation which is now
subject to action. and which will
likely fill the records day after day.
War declaration-Likely to be urged
against both Austria and Turkey,
President Wilson's Recommendation
to be followed explicitly in this.
Amendment OF legislation passed at
the war session-In this category the
pSstal rate fight. to prevent the Bur-
lesonization OF the press, looms large.
Battles may also be staged to amend
some phases of the trading-with
enemy law, the food and fuel control
bin, and the espionage law. These are
largely corrective. however, and in no
sense affect the principles of this legis-
lation.
Legislation to supplement our indus
trial war efforts-In this class will be
found the government aid to the pot
ash industry and to the news print
paper industry. In the latter instance
water power legislation to be urged al
lowing establishment Of paper mills
where power can be generated by wa
ter under some liberal provision.
Railroad legislation may also be in
cluded under this head. This promises
to bring on a proposal Of decided revo-
lutionary characteristics-if the men,
bers are left to follow their own incli-
nations. There seems to be an impress
sion at this writing, however, that the
President will propose definite leGisla-
ton to meet the situation, if he hasn't
already solved it largely without Con-
gress' aid by that time, and that his
recommendation will govern. But 1t
will be the subject of considerable at
tention at Congress hands in all prob
ability, anyway. no matter what tenn
porary relief may have been found
before then.
Possibly government ownership
will be proposed before the end is
reached. Possibly half a dozen other
solutions will be contained in bills
introduced at one time and another
during the session.
Reconstruction legislation - Here
can be included the very commend
able efforts, already announced by
some members, to provide land for
soldiers after the big task of defeat
ing the Kaiser is concluded. Indus
tries will figure also for the men who
do not come back in the same condi-
ton in which they left. The field is
large in this division. There are
many proposals, of course, that will
be left until the time when peace is
actually declared, but some of them
are expected to be evidenced during
the coming session.
Labor legislation-Here the Presi-
dent will take the lead in proposal
Of legislation and insistence as to
what form 1t shall take when put
through Congress. This is a field in
which the President has been making
a uper-intensive study during the
past few weeks. The step of uniting
labor with other interests in the
prosecution Of our war program is
obviously of the utmost Importance
This applies not only to the present,
but to the future as well. for in the
industrial competition that follows
the war Americas place must not be
forfeited merely because of petty
differences between labor and cap
ital. The time is here-so Congress
realizes-to establish labor in its
proper relation and to see that cap
ital and labor preserve their rela-
tionships in such way that the
public good and not the good Of
either to the detriment of the other,
or the detriment of the public. is
served In all directions. The posi-
bilities in this field will permit Of
the introduction of many unusual
ideas in legislation, and there will be
no end to incipient legislation If the
tendency is to welcome proposals in
that form.
Shipping situation - Congress will
pause, at the outset, about taking
hold Of the shipping situation. The
members realize the seriousness of
the situation, but, like the good
patriots they are, are willing to leave
the solution to the newest shipping
othcials II they will only show some
signs OF getting results in the near
future. Congress naturally wants in
formation on the situation, but will
agree to leave 1t largely alone If the
indications are that progress is being
made as fast as 1t is humanity pos
sible to make 1t. If not-well, the
old congressional mill will have to be-
gin to grind, that is all.