Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-03-28
MUST Be
POSITIVE, Definite
AND GIVE DETAILS
Congress Must Know Exactly
What He intends to
Accomplish
BY Robert ]. Bender.

Omitted Press Staff Correspondent
Washington March 2S.--President
Wilson will have to be positive, defi-
mite and specific in detail to get what
he wants from congress. This is the
Impression today "op the hill"
A vast majority of the forty percent
of the new congress here ready for the
Monday opening feel that way about
it. They say that if the president
shows any inclination in his coming
"war message" to be too general or
"timidly " suggestive" of what he
wants, wide difference of opinion will
result and, perhaps, disastrous delay
in a real program.
Congress leaders and the men in the
ranks say flatly that right now the
temper of congress wants to be told
why he called them into extraordinary
session and what he wants them to do
about it.
With all pre-congress preparedness
steps now practically taken, the big
question of voluntarily censored Wash
ington hinged today what the president
will say next Tuesday when he adj
dresses the joint session
The congressional event among early
arrivals were "forged back home, F."
They all say they are returning with a
completely renovated set of ideas,
especially grown in the back home
garden plots.
While this temper described predom-
mates, there is also evidence that some
western members brought slight cool.
ing of the war spirit with them. Ger
tain representatives and some senator's,
| who have strongly and openly opposed
war with or without warlike actions
toward Germany all along still main
tain that ''a majority of the people
don't want war" They are ready
however. to do the presidents bidding
If he makes strong statement.
| Speculation is rife as to what will be
| the attitude of Senator Stone on any
warlike move asked of congress.
Stone, chairman Of the foreign rela
tions committee, is really more of al
enigma than the presidents forthcom
ing message, which remains to be com
pleted. Reports here today are tha'
Stone will fight openly and bitterly
against Germany. Whether he will g
SO far as he did in regard to the armed
shin resolution and abandon his com
mittee leadership to Senator Hitchcock
is producing a lot Of speculation. Tall
today is that the house will show itsel
more ready to do the presidents $ bid
ding than the senate.
working On Resolution.
Meantime the house foreign affair
committee is working on state o
war; resolution which it plans to in
troduce Immediately after Presiden
Wilson concludes his message to tn
joint session.
With the arrival of Colonel r. NJ
House at the white house the belle
was general today that President vii
son is rapidly whipping his message in
TO shape and has called in his persona
friend and adviser to 90 over the dc
tails. It promised to be the longes
address the president has delivered I
congress.
In addition to outlining the cours
of events which has led up to the pres
, ent situation with Germany, the pres
dent will recommend for immediat
passage legislation which failed to &c
| through the last congress.
The revenue legislation will oeeup
I an important part of his addres
along with the militant measure
necessitated by the crisis. The arm
appropriation bill will probably be r
: introduced in the form that it passe
! the last house and new provision
necessitated by eyentualities whic