The sun., 1918-07-08
REPUBLICANS SAVE
DAY FOR PRESIDENT
Block Adjournment in Senate
and Force Consideration
Of Wire Measure.
WAR CRISIS Is A FACTOR
Hiram johnson Says, Though
Powerless, Senate's Duty
Is at Capital.

WARRINGTON, July 7.-Following last
nights unexpected defeat OF the plan,
framed by the majority faction in the
Senate. led by Senator Martin (va.). by
which Congress would take a vacation
this summer. there appeared to be no
doubt to-day that both Houses would
now remain in session and 60 on with
whatever business there Is in hand.
The Interstate Commerce Committee
expects to take UP consideration Of tho
wire control resolution Immediately. but
It will 90 slowly, and intends to have
hearings before 1t makes its report
| 1t will be ave or six weeks before the
committee finishes It's work and secures
passage of the bill by the Senate, ac-
! cording to members.
Republican insistence that Congress
| remain on the Job Is responsible for
obedience to the Presidents demand not
to recess until authority had been given
him to take over the telegraph and tele-
phone lines Admissions of House lead
ers to-day Ia backed up by analysis OF the
close vote In the Senate. by which the
vacation adjournment resolution was
adopted.
Republicans Decided Vote.
OF the twenty-seven Senators who
voted last evening to override the wishes
Of the President and give Congress n
rest, instead Of staying in Washington.
only five were Republicans. while of the
| twenty-six who voted against the long
adjournment fourteen we're Republicans
| Among the Republicans, and few
Democrats, hostility to the plan OF the
Democratic leaders for a recess Of Con-
| IN, thn tn1 ~ hA
whole war has been noticeable ever
since tho plan was first preached. This
was not based on the idea that Congress
had pressing business, but rather on the
feeling that It was unseemly for Con-
gress not TO be in session at such time
To adjourn and leave the President in
sole control of the war was not to the
liking Of many, despite their recognition
OF the fact that Congress has largely
! surrendered itself to the executive
branch.
This feeling was reflected in a speech
by Senator Hiram Johnson California;
yesterday. He said:
Greatest Battle Impending.
Senators. you doubtless realize as
fully as that impending upon the west
ern front In France to-day Is the great
est battle OF all the ages; that upon that
front to-day hangs perhaps the whole
| issue Of this war that preparation daily
has been made by the Hun on the other
side. Any hour now may come the Of
fensve that means the Huns undong or
that means disaster to a million boys in
| France. You understand. ! am sure,
that the events to-day are portentous,
more important, more potential in pos
s!billties and consequences than any
since this war commenced. and they
| In an hour
The answer that has been made to
me privately when I have suggested to
my colleagues that with this impending
| cataclysm in France we ought to remain
| on the Job was. What can we do?
II recognize that there Is. perhaps. III
! tie that we can accomplish. that we have
lost our initiative. that In a great degree
| We have become mere rubber stamp in
the Government OF the United states,
that we may be only a spur or deter
rent, and that possibly in the days to
come there is nothing We can do. But
possibly there may be something we can
do and we ought to remain where We
can act upon that possibility.
Russian situation Delicate.
I'VE understand the military condi-
ton on the western front. I will not
descant upon It, but when | say the
crisis is menacing and perilous I am
we'll within the truth. You have the
east and the situation in Siberia and In
Russia daily becoming more delicate.
In this world situation. this world
drama we may not. because the Senate
has fallen from its high estate. play the
part that We ought to play, but we may
play some part, perhaps, after all, and
let us stay here for that purpose"
When Il became apparent to the House
Democrats that voting the adjournment
would put upon the majority party the
responsibility for riding over the de-
mand Of the President for the speedy en-
actment OF the wire legislation, which
the President placed on the basis OF an
urgently needed war measure, they COM
pletely changed their minds about going