The Pulaskian., 1917-03-09

| Yiduais in an effort to restore the American merchant marine.
 The Adamson eighthour railroad law was enacted on the eve of ad- journment of the first session of the last congress. The enactment of the measure prevented a nation wide railroad strike. It, however, has never become effective. Be tween the time of its enactment and the time for the commencement Of its operation, January l last, the constitu- tionalify of the measure was ehal- lengedsby the railroads. and the whole matter is now pending in the Supreme court.
 Supplemental railroad legislation. proposed by President Wilson in his annual message last December, failed of enactment. This legislation would have provided for the prevention of strikes by compulsory legislation. It was heartily opposed by all of the bodies of organized labor which had previously sought the eight-hour rail- road law.
 Child Labor and immigration. The child labor law barred from in- tefstate commerce all products of chil- dreB under sixteen years of age in mines or of children under fourteen in factories.
 The passage of the immigration bill with its literacy test was accomplished over President Wilson's second veto The literacy feature had been subject of controversy between the ex- ecutive and legislative branches, of the government for the past twenty years. Presidents Taft and Cleveland both ve- toed immigration measures because they carried the literacy feature. which all three presidents thought was not a proper measure of the fitness of aliens for admission to the United States.
 The federal farm-ioan act, commonly called the rural-credits bill, created 12 federal land banks with S750,0O0 capital each. The bill provides a sys- tenn whereby loans may be made to farmers for productive purposes
 
 tions II will meet more particularly the needs Of agriculturists in the West and South.
 Under the vocational educational act the federal government on a gradually increasfng scale covers every state ap- propriatlon dollar for dollar for secon- diary school instruction In agriculture and the mechanical and industrial arts.
 On the eve of adjournment congress passed the post-office appropriation bill. with an amendment making "bOne dry" all states having prohibitory laws. This measure was introduced in the senate by Senator Reed of Missouri. Its unexpected enactment had the eff feet of absolutely prohibiting the ship ment in interstate commerce of intoxi- cants into states or territories which forbid the manufacture or sale of liquor
 It also closes the mails to all liquor advertising, including newspaper ad- vertising. Neither can letters solicit ing liquor orders be carried in the mails
 Sixteen Senators Retire.
 Sixteen senators have now discarded their togas and prefixed their titles with "ex" This disturbance of per Sonnel reduces but does net upset the Democratic control of the upper house. The Democratic majority of 16 Is cut to 12, leaving out of consideration such offN14e oIa ' n II lette. Hiram Johnson, Poindexter and Norris, officially classed as Republic ans but not always voting according to classification.
 Among the nationally known sena- tors now retired to private life are Clarence D. Clark of Wyoming. who has served in the senate continuously since January 23. 1895: Moses E. Clapp of Minnesota, one of the original Pro- gressives: Luke Lea of Tennessee, now only thirty-seven years old, known as the Baby Senator" James F. Maritime of New Jersey, who acquired fame early in his senatorial career by his stanch defense of applejack as a bev- craze, and John W. Kern of Indiana. who has been Democratic leader of the senate.
 Needing no introduction" among the new senators are Hiram Johnson of California, Frank B. Kellogg, trust buster" of Minnesota, and Philander c. Knox of Pennsylvania. Unlike the rest of the senators-elect, their repr- tations are made;" all they need to do Is to Tive up to 'em."
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