Evening star., 1917-04-13
CONGRESS PREPARES
FOR LONG SESSION
House Leaders Making Up
Committees and General Leg
isIation Will Be Decided.
"ENLISTED FOR THE WAR"

Since all signs seem to indicate that
Congress is in for 4 prolonged and in
definite session. consequent upon all
phases of war legislation, House lead
ers are going ahead with the making
up of committees, and within the next
ten days it is probable that the full
committee assignments will be COM
pleted. What general legislation is to
be brought in will be determined in the
future.
That there will be spirited discussion
of all the main features of what might
be termed war measures is assured,
and while the House. through it's COM
mlttee on rules, can at any time pro-
pose to put an end to debate and bring
a vote. there is lack of disposition to
railroad" these important bills
Moreover, there is the possibility that
the House might not always follow the
committee on rules docilely. The divi-
sion between the two major parties is
so close and there is so much independ-
ent spirit in. both of them that there is
no certainty that legislation can be
jammed through with a rule as in the
old days of big party majorities and
absolute party solidarity.
Intense Feeling in Division.
There is intense feeling among mem
bers of the House in their division of
sentiment over some of the most i'm
portant questions involved in the war
legislation, and it is already evident
that this feeling will manifest itself
regardless of party lines
Men are taking the position that this
is the country's war and not the war
of any political party. consequently
they are preparing to line up accord
ing to their convictions or to represent
what they deem to be the sentiment of
their constituents rather than to align
themselves to party measurements.
There will be a contest over the
Adamson bill to authorize the PreSi-
dent to take over the railroads and tel
egraph and telephone lines and to COM
mandeer labor into the service OF the
military arm. There will. as has been
frequently stated. be long and bitter
fight over the method of raising the
troops and there will be much to be
said about taxation.
1t Is evident that there is RAPIDLY
growing spirit in both houses of Con-
gress that the legislative branch shall
leafously maintain its constitutional
prerogative and exercise in full all its
functions in connection with the wag-
ing of the war and is not disposed to
Weld to the executive anything of its
own rights.
oeudtOlS ?" ant u Dc 1ulOr1neQ.
In the Senate there is found to be
an increasing disposition to keep on
guard" too. The visit of the British
naval officers to Washington and their
conference with the administration has
aroused a feeling of interest among
senators to know just what the ad-
ministration is doing in the way of
making agreements with the allies
committing this government for the
future.
No senator. it is said. expresses any
doubt as to the President proceeding
strictly IN line with his thorough un-
derstanding of the right of the Senate
to participate in the framing of foreign
policies, but at the same time. it is
explained. the Senate will want 10
know what is going on.
These are among the considerations
which lead to the belief that Congress
will not get away in a hurry. but
will continue in session as long as
there are foreign policies to be passed
upon and questions of domestic i'm
portance in connection with the war
to be passed upon.
"We have enlisted for the terri, of
the war" as one member Of the Housa
phrased it today.