Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-04-20
APPROPRIATION MEASURES MUST
HAVE ATTENTION OF CON-
GRESS WITHOUT DELAY.
MANY TO BE ACTED UPON
Scheme of National Defense Involved
in Proposed observation-disclosures
Correspondents Take Measures to
Prevent Leaks-War Department
Changes.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

to securing Gas quickly as possible the
passage of all appropriation bills
which failed of passage at the last ses-
sion, and such legislation as bears on
the international crisis.
1t was not President Wilson's desire
to call congress into extra session, pro-
vided, of course, that the war issue did
not become acute. He hoped that all
of the appropriation bills which the
house passed at the last session would
be acted upon by the senate so that
when March a dawned the country
would be prepared in a money way to
carry it through another fiscal year.
Then came the sharp necessity of an
extra session, because of the looming
of the prospect of war. The admins
tration became somewhat reconciled
tn the failure of the appropriation
bills when 1T discovered that an ex-
traordinary session was a necessity.
To Rush Appropriation Bills.
The big appropriation bills which
failed at the last session either already
have been or will at once be re-intro-
duced in the form In which they origi-
nally passed the house of representa-
tives at the last session. Approprl-
atoms for the national defense aggre-
eating half a billion dollars are car
ried in the army, the sundry civil. the
general deficiency and the military
academy bills, not one of which passed
the senate at the last session.
AS originally introduced the sums
appropriated by these measures were
as follows: Army, $279,00O,OO0; sun
dry civil, $138,000,000 general de-
ficiency, $50, 100000; military academy,
$1,34S,000.
At the last session q river and har-
Dor bill carrying appropriations of $780,
100000, and a public building bill car
rying $32,00O,000, failed of passage.
There seems to be no likelihood that
these two measures can be put through
congress at the present session.
1t is understood, in fact senators and
representatives repeat 1t as fact
daily, that the president has told the
leaders in congress that while he con-
tinues to hold Office as president he
will veto any bill which contains what
he considers unwarranted apnropri-
atoms for public buildings. tr. Will
son also has let it be Flown that he
considers the omnibus fublic buildings
bill which was passed by the house but
which the senate failed to sanction at
the last session, was indefensible from
any point of view.
Tariff to Be Subject of Debate.
Whether the present session of con-
gress is short or long, it will be marked
sharply by manifestation of interest
in the tariff Neither war talk nor any
other kind of talk can keep the tariff
out of debates in congress. 1t is al
ways live issue. When the nations
of the world settle down and cease
fighting, one of the arguments is that
America will need high tariff wall
to keep out an influx of cheap manu-
featured ma rial which will come in
from Europe to compete with Ameri-
can-made goods. There are, of course,
arguments quickly and sharply adj
vanced in opposition to this position.
It makes little difference which party
to the dispute is right, neither will adj
NIT that the other is right, and so it is
that the tariff, even when there is no
chance of passing a bill affecting it,
remains an ever-present subject for de-
bate in the two houses of the con-
gress of the United States.
important News Tipped Off"
Some weeks ago there was con-
Quoted by committee of the house
what commonly was known as "the
leak investigation" 1t will be remem-
bered that information concerning
President Wilson'S so-called peace
note leaked out in advance of its pub
LEGATION. information which was used
TO advantage by certain stockholders.
1t was found that two newspaper
men had tipped off" the news that
such a note might be expected Only
one of these newspaper men was en-
titled to admission to the press gal
lcries of congress. This one received
no money for his tip and he did what
he did through personal friendship
for a friend. However, it was gener-
ely considered that he violated a con-
fdence and one of the unwritten rules
governing the conduct of correspon-
dents in Wasail yton.
Move to Stop Further Leaks"
AS a result of this leak investiga-
ton" the standing committee of CORE
spondents as 1t was then constituted
met and adopted a resolution TO the
effect that the entering into employ
ment by any correspondent for the
purpose of furnishing advance infor-
nation to stockbroking houses was a
violation of the spirit of the rules of
the press galleries. This was as FIR
as the standing committee could 60.
because there had been no written
rule against the practice which was
condemned.
Immediately thereafter, however, all
the Washington correspondents en-
titled TO admission TO the press gal
cries met, upheld the action Of their