The Monticellonian. [volume] (Monticello, Ark.) 1870-1920, 1917-04-12
FEW CHANGES MADE
NOT MANY NEW MEMBERS SIT
TING IN EXTRAORDINARY
SESSION OF CONGRESS.
FIRST WOMAN IN THAT BODY
Miss Jeanette Rankin of Montana
Creates Favorable lmpression-Pre-
caution for Safety of Legislators
Appropriation Measures to Be
Brought Up at Once.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

hHSitlHS lOu.-CunSfeSS HIS dsstln-
bled III war session. Seriousness of
purpose marked the opening. There
was a shadow upon all the members
present, but through it cleaned the
light of resolution.
The first session of the Sixty-fifth
congress is in extraordinary session.
With the exception of one year there
has been either the usual long session
or an extra session in every year since
William II. Taft took office. This ses-
sion of congress is the first one which
has been compelled to face virtual war
conditions since Mckinley spoke to
congress in May, 1893, in behalf of a
war with Spain which should free the
Cuban people from the yoke, and put
al end to the terrorization aud tyran-
ny visited upon the people of the Pearl
of the Antilles.
Congress today Is Misunderstanding
body. The Democrats held control of
the last house by majority of be-
tween twenty and thirty, and as the
house is pretty evenly divided be-
tween the two parties at this session
1t 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-
elected, and this is true also of the Re
publicstns.
First Woman Member of Congress.
Every person who entered one of the
| galleries of congress on Monday for
| got for minute the war conditions
which prevail and centered thought
and eyes on the seat occupied by the
| first woman who ever has represented
a district of the United States in the
congress of the nation. Miss jean
nette Rankin of Missoula, Mont, rep
resentativeat-large from that state,
| bore herself modestly and we'll 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 r. Sherwood. Democrat,
of Toledo, O., who Is eighty-two years
old and who was brigadier general dur
ing the Civil war. General Sherwood
has been pronounced pacitist until
recently The other day he Cancelled
speaking date which he was to make
before a gathering of peace promoters
and issued 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
pen 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 package into the capitol. Even
umbrellas were barred from the house
and senate chambers, because in the
folds of an umbrella 1t 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 a
fever of suspicion.
SO far as specific cases are con-
cerned there was no truth in the ru
mors which foated about. Men Of
|
fered from idle gossip of the inconsie-
crate. 1t may be that there nre 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 We're concerned the
stories We're brewed in the teapots of
the afternoon gossip table.
Appropriations in Order
At the last session of the last con-
sress 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
army bill carrying large appropria-
lions of money.
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 to
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 Ii of certain senator's a con-
troversy of which I he echoings are
still heard.
When the house passed the army APP
preparation bill II, of course. was sent
at once TO the senate. There ii was
amended in the committee on military
affairs One of the amendments was
proposal for universal military train
ing. When it became evident that the
|