The Washington times., 1917-01-20
Democrats HopelessIy Split W.
on Practically Every
Measure.
MAY RELY ON G. o. P. Afo
Steering Committee and Its
Chairman. Senator Kern,
Is Worried.

Half a dozen deadlocks have to Be
broken In Congress before a favor
able response can be made by tn.
national legislators to President VIII
sons "speed-up" order.
At the present time the chances
are none too bright that the dead
locks wiz be broken.
On practically Every measure.
which the President has told thr
Democratic Steering Committee of
the Senate must be passed before
March 4, the Democrats are almost
'hopelessly split UP.
Regarding several of them ths
President may have to rely asa last
resort on Republican support The
steering" COMMITTEES f. worried.
Chairman Kern looks positively hag
gard.
MeAsuPes IBslsfed On.
Here are the measures which the
President has told the leaders must
be passed:
His anti-strike railroad legislation,
including the provision to prohibit
strikes pending Federal investigation
of all disputes between the RAILROADS.
and their employees.
The Webb bill authorizing Ameri-
can exporters to maintain co-opera-
tive foreign selling agencies abroad.
The. bill to amend the organic law
OF Porto Rico for the purpose of
a greater degree Of local
The corrupt practices bill.
The conservation bills providing
for the regulation OF the leasing Of
water power sites on public lands. and
streams and the leasing OF
grants on mineral lands.
Denecrats Are Divided.
The appropriation and revenue :
bills.
On all Of these with the exception
Of the Porto Rico bill and the appro-
priation bills the Democrats in each
branch of Congress are divided. There
Is not one of the leaders. despite the
dietum, of the President, who will say
that the anti-strike provisions Of the
legislation will go through
The railroad brotherhoods, who
stood by the President in his fight
with the railroad managements- last
summer and again during the politi
cal campaign, appear to have for
saken him entirely.
The American Federation OF Labor.
lining up with the brotherhoods, has
branded the anti-strike provisions a.
impossible. Samuel GomperS has d
clared that. law or no law. Presiden
0r no President, he for one would mo-
obey such provisions, and it was NJ
Sompers who stood nobly by II
President in the last campaign.
Opposed To webb BILL
1t is only lately that anything like
zeal opposition has developed again-t
he Webb bill. but it comes from
sources.
Senator James Reed of Missouri -
It's .bitterest opponent. He insist,
hat the passage of the act would re
'ult in a complete monopoly of the
export trade OF the United States by,
powerful trade interests that would
get together to maintain the proposed
selling agencies.
BY pooling their interests, he argues.
hesc magnates could either shut out
he small exporters entirely. or force
hem to deal through these agencies
Old guard Republican leaders of the
'enate, headed by such men as Pen.
ose OF Pennsylvania and Gallinger Of
Few Hampshire have succeeded thus
ar in blocking the ways of the COZ
upt practices bill by persisting ia
rying to have included in the meas
re provisions that would compel die
outhern States either to give
quare deal to the negro vote or lose
heir present proportion of repressn-