Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-15
WAR PROGRAM
is IN TANGLE
CONTINUED From Page ~

from the heads Of the French and Br
lsh missions. Those to whom it hi
been communicated have been il
pressed with the necessity of more a
complishments.
PROGRAM is TANGLED.
This morning as congress went int
It's thirty-seventh working day, the VIZ
program stood this way:
War tax bill: Under debate in
the house and up for public hear
ings in the senate finance commit
tee. At the present rate of pro-
gress it probably will be up before
one house or the other for at least
month.
Army bill: In conference again
to thresh over the action of the
house in restoring the so-called
Roosevelt amendment. 1t provides
the army the allies need in France.
Food control bills: Debated one
day in the house; an entirely diff
ferent form of legislation has been
introduced in the senate.
Shipping bills: The bill to vest
legal title to the seized German
ships by the government passed
both houses but is In conference
for reconsideration Of differences;
the bill to appropriate $400,000.000
for start on the great merchant
fleet to overcome the submarine
menace has not yet been introduce
ed and may not be, while plans
are being discussed Of paying for
the ships out of the $1,000, 100000
loan. The bill to authorize the
taking over OF ship building facil-
tiles and ships building for foreign
account has been introduced but Is
not yet under consideration.
Espionage bill: The house pass
ing the bill retained the newspaper
censorship section demanded by
the administration but did not en-
act an embargo section which the
administration wants to keep sup
plies from going to Germany
through neutrals. The senate
still has its bill under debate, re-
tanning such an embargo section,
but entirely without a censorship
provision. The real enactment of
this bill probably will be in con-
ference where the administration
will bring pressure to have both
censorship and embargo sections
inserted in acceptable terms.
Prohibition: AS an amendment
to the espionage bill the senate has
attached a section prohibiting the
manufacture of intoxicating LID
uors from food grains. Various
prohibition proposals are pending
in the house.
Federal reserve law amend
ments: These additions to the ex-
listing bank law were proposed by
the administration to bring more
banks into the federal reserve sys-
tenn and by liberalizing the reserve
requirements increase the gold
holdings OF the system more than
100000, 1000.
CRISIS is IMPENDING.
There is no denying the fact that /;
risis impends as the result of Pres
ent Wilson's failure to take congress
1to his confidence before trying tt
orce his war legislation program
trough. Saturdays action, when the
ouse renewed the Roosevelt amend
lent to the army bill and the senate
amoved the newspaper censorship
action from the espionage measure
indicative Of the feeling against the
administration which is delaying posi-
We action by congress on SO many
Imperative measures Of war legislation
Congress, at the beginning of the
xtra session, was willing to give the
resident anything and everything
Or which he asked. Congress is still
illing to back the President. but Il
is to do SO heartily. it asserts he
lust grant recognition. 1t does not
urpose to have bills prepared by the
overall departments and sent to it with
lstrucuons to pass them without the
hange OF q punctuation mark 1t wants
, be consulted.
The senate will not give its con
ent and approval to treaties should
lere be a secret agreement of which
has no knowledge. The senate also
esires to know the character and ex
mt of agreements If there be any en-
red into by the president with the
isiting foreign mission. The pres:
ent, senators declare, gave the mem
ers of the upper house. charged with
lual responsibility for the foreign
olicies of the nation, no opportunit,
, meet and talk with Mr.. BalfoIr OF
Xy:,-;ors