The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-03-07

STEPS TAKEN TOWARD
RULES CHANGE HELP
President Implied Revision
of Rules Would Be Nee
essary Preliminary.

Washington, March 6.--An extra
session of congress not later than June
now is generally conceded among Of :
Ncials hero to be assured
Although President Wilson has not
given any definite Indication that he
he has finally abandoned his hope that
an extra session might be avoided.
there is an almost Unanimous senti.
p,ent among senators. representatives
and officials Of the executive depart
'ments that one must be called. They
declare that even II the international
situation does not demand it, congress
must come back to complete its legis-
lative program and fill UP gaps in the
governments financial scheme caused
by failure Of some Of the more i'm
portant appropriation measures.
Rules Change Helps.
The progress made by senators to-
day toward CARRYING out the presi-
dents recommendation for rule linn
iting senate debate generally was re-
garded as strengthening the likelihood
Of a special session within a few
weeks. It is pointed out that in his
statement Sunday night the president
conveyed the impression by implica-
ton that such a revision OF senate
rifles would be step preliminary to
bringing congress back to finish its
program. After enumerating the inn
rortant measures which had failed, the
statement continued that 1T would
not cure the difficulty to call the Six
ty-fifth congress in extraordinary ses-
sion" unless the parliamentary barrier
to action in the senate We're REMOVED
Should the senate limit debate and
the presidents legal advisers decide he
has no authority TO arm ships without
congressional authorization, the armed
neutrality bill undoubtedly would take
first place among measures to be
pressed by the administration at an
extra session.
Domestic Needs.
But aside from the international
crisis. the breaking down Of the ad-,
ministration's legislative program is
regarded by many officials as an i'm
perative reason for an extra session
There will be. many delays In the gov
ernment's financial and defense
schemes unless some emergency action
is taken, because Of failure of the big
supply measures, particularly the
army, and general deficiency bills.
How the war department can con-
tinue at all with its preparedness plans
Is. in fact, problem for which off,
Gals generally believe an extra session
offers the only practicable solution.
For the lack Of the s62,006, 900 to
have been provided in the deficiency
bill. departments and bureaus all along
the line will suffer-
West Peint in Danger.
Among the measures that lost out in
the race against time at the end of
the session was the $1,34s,ooo military
academy bill carrying the regular al
lotmcnt for maintaining the West
Point establishment during the COM
ing fiscal year. Chairman Dent Of the
house military committee declared to-
night that unless congress is called
back the academy will have to close
its doors on July l.
In all, five big supply bills failed.
carrying total of more than half a
million dollars. Besides the admins
tration has considered 1t almost i'm
perative to pass number Of general
legislative measures that failed includ-
ing the amendments to the shipping
and federal reserve laws, the supple
mental legislation to reinforce the Adj
amson law, conservation measures. the
bill to permit combinations for foreign
selling. and that to enlarge the inter-
state commerce commission.