Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-12
Especial to The Times pispatch.l

Especial to The Times Dispatchl
WASHINGTON. March 1i.-Party
leaders In Congress arc holding in
formal conferences in an effort 10
limit the legislation which will be
taken up at tho Forthcoming special
session on April 1G. Tho Democrats
arc anxious TO conclude the session BY
July 1: the Republicans so far have
refused to agree
Once Congress meets there is no way
of holding that body to q given pro-
gram except by agreement. The Prcsi-
dent has no power. such as Is given TO
the Governors OF many States to desIy-
nate the purposes Of an extra session,
and TO confne the House and Senate
to such purposes. Only Congress IT.
self may determine what II will lcgis-
late upon and when 1t will cease to
leKielatc.
In view of this fact. friend. OF the
standardization hope to accomplish by
agreement "a plan which will permit
consideration OF certain important
auesOons. leaving the less urgent mat
iers TO be disposed OF at the regular
session which convcnes in December
and which will continue indefinitely.
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES
PROPOSED ny DEMOCRATS
II Il understood that the Democratic
leaders propose the enactment Of the
following measures as soon AZ may be
practicable. adjournment to follow i'm
mcdiately thereafter:
All appropriation bills which failed
on March 4.
Armed neutrality bill.
Series Of measures known as spy"
bills
y law permitting combinations in
foreign trade.
Bill increasing membership OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
RAILROAD strike bill.
IL is argued with effect that the
consideration OF thi. program viii con-
sumo the Two months and = half be
tween April l6 and July J. IL may
even DO Impossible 10 conclude debate
upon them before August J. Rut 10
throw the session open TO all the leSis-
lative projects In which committees
or individuals may be Interested would
prolons the session until late in the
fall.
In urging the adoption OF program
in advance. the leaders on the part or
the administration are not taking into
consideration the possibility that war
with Germany may become an ac-
complishcd fact within few weeks.
In such an event, all plans for rea-
sonably early adjournment would he
thrown into the discard. Leaders OF
both parties would then become recon
ciled to continuous session until
peace :s declared
The difficulty OF getting al agree
mcnt upon n tentative program. minus
possible war measures. lies in the un-
willingness OF individual members, and
even committees. TO accept any plan
which leaves out their own proposals
For instance, the advocates OF uni
yersal military training and service
have come to regard their legislation
as meeting n national emergency.
They refrained from pressing IL at the
short session because there was not
time to thoroughly debate it, but they
now insist that 1t should be considered
without further delay.
Much the same view is taken Of ma
tion-wide prohibition. The dry lead
crs have refused TO enter into any
agreement which binds them to wait
until December before bringing the
They have not given notice that they
will bring this up during the spring,
but they want to feel free to do 1t f
a favorable opportunity presents itself.
The friends of woman's suffrage in
both houses of Congress likewise are
opposed to any proposition which will
close the door to any move they may
wish to make for vote upon their
amendment during the extra session.
with all these interests fighting for
position, il now seems unlikely that
the scssion Will begin with any set
plan of work. Once the House is or
Sanizcd, II will proceed along unfixed
lines, until hot weather and WEAKNESS
OF the flesh brings 1t to an end.
ARMED NEUTRALITY BILL.
TO COME UP At ONCE
The armed neutrality bill will come
up at once, and will he passed. 1t now
seems. with comparatively little de-
bate. The members of the little group
OF flibusterers still left in public life
will make some defiant or apologize
remarks. but the friends Of the meas
ure probably will let 1t come TO vote
without prolonged controversy.
Next in Importance is the passage
of the appropriation bills. The army
bill Is The most pressing. After II will
come the urgent deficiency bill, and
lastly the sundry civil bill. All these
appropriations must start in the House
again, he voted upon there and be
passed along to the Senate Just as
though they had never before been
considered. Every other measure.
large or small. must be reintroduced