The Harrison times., 1917-03-03
RUSH NEEDED LAWS.
coNGREssMEN PASS MEASURES
TO PROTECT OUR INsTITU.
TIoNs DURING WAR.
WILL CURB SPY ACTIVITIES
Legislation Proved Necessary by Ex.
perlenee Of European Countries Now
Is Being Placed on Statute Books
Of the United States.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
WashingtOn.-When the first sugges-
tion was made that an extra session
OF congress might be necessary, the
reason given was that the amount of
the business which was In sight was
so great that il seemed virtually i'm
possible that everything necessary
could be done before March 1. and an
extra session avoided.
Since the first word concerning fear
Of the necessity of an extraordinary
meeting of congress was uttered, the
business in sight has increased at least
threefOld. The result has been that
the lawmakers have been working at
top speed not only to get out of the way
the ordinary appropriation bills and
such other legislation as the majority
wishes to enact into law, but to formu-
late and pass bills and extra apprO-
priatiOns made necessary by the break
Of diplomatic relations with Germany
and by the prospect OF war with that
power.
There never have been on the statute
books of the United States laws ade-
quate TO the meeting of certain war
situations. The experience of some
of the countries abroad with spies and
with alien subjects who remained in
one or the other of the warning nations
after war began, first brought the
United States lawmakers to q realizing
sense of what might happen in this
country if we should become a party
to the conflict raging abroad.
The spy question and the subject Of
possible damage to our forts, ships and
ammunition plants and other necessary
defense and Offense institutions never
in the past seemed to be matters ne
CesSitating serious consideration by
congress. 1t is true enough that the
army and navy authorities frequently
called attention to seeming evils which
they thought should be corrected, but
comparatively little attention was paid
to the suggestions.
Some of the "War Measures"
Now things have changed. Congress
Is at work, or has finished work, on a
dozen measures intended to safeguard
the interest Of this country in war
time. The house and senate commit
tees have framed and reported for
passage any number of emergency
measures. While the legislation is in
tended to meet the seeming emergency,
it will remain on the statute books to
be of service for all time hereafter.
Among what might be called war
measures which have been passed or
on their way to passage are the fol-
lowing:
Furnishing conspiracies to destroy
property in a country with which the
United States Is at peace.
Regulating issuance Of passports
and furnishing alteration, transfer and
forgery thereof.
Requiring sworn statements in addi-
ton to the manifest
Furnishing willful or attempted in
jury to any vessel engaged in foreign
commerce.
Empowering the president better to
enforce and maintain neutrality.
Providing for the issuance of search
warrants.
Furnishing the revealing Of the Sc
crets of national defense.
Furnishing counterfeiting the seal Of
the United States or of the executive
departments.
Regulating conduct of vessels in
either American ports or waters in
time Of actual or threatened war or
insurreCtion.
Furnishing impersonation of foreign
officials accredited to this country.
Furnishing willful making Of untrue
statements in order to influence acts
Or conduct Of foreign governments.
A Regulating conduct and movements
fof interned soldiers and sailors,
b. Authorizing seizure, detention and
condemnation of arms ana munitions
ready for export.
Huge Appropriation Bills.
Congress has had before II in the
form Of emergency and regular appro-
priations, proposals to authorize the
expenditure Of nearly S1,000,000,000 on
defense measures. The regular naval
appropriation bill carried about $351,-
100000, and this was almost doubled
when the appropriations for emergency
uses were added.
The army bill as It was reported
originally from the house committee
on military affairs carried a recon-
mendaton for large sum TO be eX-
pended, not only to maintain the ex-
listing establishment, but to increase its
scope and It's usefulness. To the orig
inal appropriation have been added
S250000 for the development Of anti
aircraft guns 10 defend arsenas and
5000 900 for ammunition for these guns.
The total army appropriation bill
amounts to about S250,000000.
Chance for Extra Session.