Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-04-18
NOT MANY NEW MEMBERS SIT.
TING IN EXTRAORDINARY
SESSION OF CONGRESS.
FIRST WOMAN IN THAT BODY
Miss Jeanette Rankin Of Montana
Creates Favorable Impresslon-Pre
caution for Safety of Legislators
Appropriation Measures to Be
Brought Up at Once.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

I
purpose marked the opening. There
was a shadow upon all the members
present but through 1t cleaned the
light of resolution.
The first session of the Sixty fifth
congress is in extraordinary session.
has been either the usual long session
or an extra session In every year since
William H. Taft took Office This SEES
sion of congress is the first one which
has been compelled TO face virtual war
conditions since Mckinley spoke 10
congress in May. 1898, In behalf of a
war with Spain which should free the
Cuban people from the yoke. and put
an end TO the terrorization and tyran-
ny visited upon the people of the Pearl
of the Antilles.
Congress today is a Misunderstanding
body. The Democrats held control of
the last house by a majority of be-
tween twenty and thirty, and as the
house is pretty evenly divided be-
tween the two parties at this session
# can be seen that only compare
| lively few Democrats have been sue
ceeded by new Republican members.
Most of the Democrats who held office
in the last congress have been re-
erected. and this is true also OF the Re
publicans.
First Woman Member Of Congress.
Every person who entered one of the
| galleries of congress on Monday for
| got for a minute the war conditions
which prevail and centered thought
and eyes on the seat occupied by the
! first woman who ever has represented
district of the United States in the
congress of the nation. Miss Jean
nette Rankin of AIissoula, Mont, rep
resentative-at-large from that state,
bore herself modestly and well in an
exceedingly trying position.
There are many oldtimers in the
present organization of the house. Jo-
seph G. Cannon of Illinois, former
speaker still holds his place. and with
him is Isaac II. Sherwood Democrat,
of Toledo o., who is eighty-two years
old and who was brigadler general dur
ing the Civil war. General Sherwood
has been pronounced pacifist until
recently. The other day he cancelled
speaking date which he was to make
before a gathering of peace promoters
and issued a statement In which he
declared he was willing to go to war
and intimated that he would like once
more to lead troops.
Watch Legislators Safety.
In way congress at this session is
meeting under guard Washington
has the appearance in part OF a
city (which expects things TO hap
pen" Perhaps there is no real
expectation that anything is to hap
pcU, but the officials believe there is
nothing like taking precautions.
On the day that congress opened no
man, woman or child was allowed to
carry a package into the capitol. Even
umbrellas were barred from the house
and senate chambers, because in the
folds Of an umbrella It is possible to
conceal things If one is so inclined.
Extraordinary measures were taken
TO protect the president of the United
States and all the other high officials
Of the government on the day Of the
opening of congress, and the same
precautions will be taken hereafter.
Washington has been affected by
fever of SUSPICION.
So far as specific E., r,s are con-
cerned there was 40 ruth in the ru-
mors which fioated alb 20. Men Of
high standing in the community suf-
fered from idle gossip of the inconsid-
crate. IT may be that there are real
cases of reasonable intent in the
capital and that they will develop and
punishment be meted out, but so far
as the first cases were concerned the
stories were brewed in the teapots of
the afternoon gossip table
Appropriations In Order.
At the last session of the last con-
gress the lawmakers provided for the
navy but left the army without any
sustenance. One Of the first acts of
congress at the extraordinary session
just opened will be to sanction the
srmv bin carrying large arpropria-
lions of money.
1t Is barely possible thai x It had
not been necessary for the president
in the closing days of the last session
to ask authority Of congress TO arm
merchant ships Of the United States.
all the appropriation bills might have
been passed The house had disposed
of them and the senate had taken care
of several Of them, but there were
four or five big supply measures 10
which the senate could give no CON
sideration because the days of the
closing hours were taken up with dis
cussiOn which resulted In a contro-
versy concerning the patriotism or
lack of Il Of certain senators. a con-
troversy of which I he echoings are
still heard
When the house passed the army ap-
preparation bill If. Of course, was sent /
at once TO the senate. There It was
amended In the committee on military /
affairs. One Of the amendments wss /
a proposal for universal military train /
ing. When II became eyiderft that the /
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POINTED PARAGRAPHS /