The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-06-08
WHAT CONGRESS IS DOING

Z
An effort to pass corrupt practices
bill failed In the senate. The bill came
up for consideration under unani-
cussed some time objection was raised
and it went over.
Senator Mclean of Connecticut laid
before the senate a memorial from
the Connecticut state council of de-
tense urging congress to raise the
draft age from 81 years to As.
BY a vote of 17S to 1877 the house
has amended the food production bill
to make the appropriation unayail-
able unless the president shall issue
a proclamation prohibiting the use of
foodstuffs in, the manufacture of al
coholic liquors for beverage purposes
Subsequently the bill was put upon
its final passage by vote of 231 to
"a, and it now goes to the senate.
Representative Crisp of Georgia,
has introduced a bill to make the sal
aries of Federal and state officers
subject to the income and excess-pr
it's tax laws.
The senate, by a unanimous vote,
passed the bill for the vocational re-
Mobilization of soldiers and sailors
who may be wounded or disabled in
the war. The measure provides an
appropriation of 100000 with
which to carry on the work. The
work of rehabilitation is to be under
the joint supervision of the surgeon
general of the army, the department
of labor, and the Federal Board of
Vocational Education.
The senate committee ON military
affairs went on record Saturday for
greatly enlarged army when it favor
ably reported to the senate the resolu-
ton of Senator Reed, of Missouri, au-
thorizing the president to raise 3,000..
tive draft law.
Senator Jones OF Washington, has
offered an amendment to- the food
production bill that recently passed
the house under. which the entire
country would be made bone dry for
the duration of the war. The amend
ment provides that no beer or wine
shall be manufactured so long as the
war lasts, the penalty for violation of
the act being $1,000 fine or two years
Imprisonment.
Consideration of the army appro-
priation bill which was reported by
Chairman Dent. has begun in the
house. The bill appropriates out
right $9,5Ss,34s,Sos~ and provides for
authorizations aggregating $685.
332,So1. The bill also embodies the
plan for giving the president unlinlit-
ed authority In determining the num-
Der of troops that shall be raised.
Senate and house conferees failed
again to break the deadlock over the
senate amendment to the agricultural
appropriation bill fixing the guaran-
.eed price of wheat at $3.50 bushel.
An effort is now being made to have
the question again submitted to a
vote in the senate. and house. The
house recently voted against the adop-
ton of the senate amendment and
when the senate last took action it ad
hered to its original action in adopt
ing the provision.
The senate committee ON rules has
taken the initial steps looking to the
curbing of unrestricted debate in the
senate on. the forthcoming war-reve
nue. bill. 1t reported an amendment
to the rules under which. if adopted,
no senator would be permitted to
speak more than hour on any pend
ing bill, except by unanimous consent,
and not more than 20 minutes on any
amendment. The rule is intended to
! remain in force only for the duration
of the war. This rule is more drastic
than the modified c1oture rule adopt
ed at the beginning of the present ses-
sion. It would effectually check any
attempt to conduct a filibuster against
legislation to which any group Of SEN
ators might take objection: . :.
. q -"
Publishers representing practically
every periodical published in New
York City, together with representa-
tives of organized labor, appeared be-
! fore the New York delegation
Wednesday afternoon and urged re-
peal OF the zone system of second
class postal rates that go into effect
! July l.
Setting June 6 as the date for be-
ginning hearings on new revenue leg
islation, the house ways and means
committee has approved, subject to
change, the proposal for a summer
vacation after appropriation bills are
completed. The committee agreed
that the four billion dollars in addi-
tional revenue shall come chiefly
from excess profits, incomes and taxes
on luxuries.