Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-05-29
CONGRESS MAY 60
HOME BEFORE LONG
SOME OF ITS LEADERS DECLARE
THAT AN ADJOURNMENT BY
JULY is POSSIBLE.
SENATOR GALLINGER IN DOUBT
Attempt to Exempt Government
Printing Office From Operations Of
Overman Bill FaiIs-No Action Vet
On Water Power Measure.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.
Westinghouse April and May
senators and representatives begin to
talk about adjournment and they usual
ly fix the LIST of July as the time when
the long session shall come to an end.
There has been no exception this year
and some of the leaders have pointed
out that there is no reason why there
should not be an adjournment by July
1. Senator Gallinger of New Hamp-
shire, who has been longer in the SEN
ate than any other man, speaking in
the senate said that the suggestion
that they could soon adjourn coming
from one Of the majority leaders met
his hearty approval and he hoped that
congress could 'get away from the
hot term in Washington at a reasonable
time. But looking at the bills on my
desk" he continued, ut looks to me as
If we had better send for our winter
clothes and conclude that we are going
| to be here until the next session of
congress-"
Of course there is a lot of very i'm
portant legislation yet to be considered,
| but 1t may be well to remember that
| any time that the president thinks he
has got all the legislation he wants,
the suggestion will be made that the
appropriation bills be passed and that
congress get away.
When the Overman bill passed the
70 off 10 tn
the government printing Office from it's
| operations, but without avail. The
| government printing Office has always
been under the direction of congress,
although it does all of the government
| printing business. Heretofore con-
| gress has been very jealous of its con.
troll of the printing office and it's Con-
gressional Record. The awful sugges-
| ton was raised that under the Over
man bill the president might direct
Chairman Creel Of the public informa-
| ton bureau to take charge of and edit
the Congressional Record. While moth
| Ing Of that kind is likely, the mere sug-
gestion caused cold shivers to run down
the backs Of those who feel that the
Record Is the only outlet they have for
getting their thoughts In print.
OF course q great many important
matters have occupied the attention of
congress and that might account for
the delay in presenting and passing
bill which would utilize the water pow
er of the United States. For more
20,
deal of talk about the benefits to be
derived from the water power which
has been running to waste and will
continue to run to waste until some
action is taken, and yet there never has
been anything done.
Many months ago the senate passed
a water power bill, but the house has
not seen fit to consider it. 1t has been
a matter of two months since a special
committee was formed in the house for
the express purpose Of enacting water
power legislation. A bill approved by
three cabinet officers, all having juriS-
diction to some extent over water pow
err lands and sites, was submitted to
this committee and for time it SEEM
ed as If the measure might receive
favorable consideration. But this bill
still awaits action in the house, where
1t is supposed to have strong support.
There are many subtle ways of delay
Ing legislation in congress and it is
possible that the water power bill is one
which has been marked for postpone
ment until congress gets tired and adj
journs.
North Carolina is in the limelight
these days on account of having four
of its men in congress in very i'm
/ portant positions. Senator Simmons
is chairman of the finance committee,
and Claude Kitchin chairman of the
WAYS and means committee in the
house. Thus 1t happens that the North
Carolina men are the most influential
In regard to revenue legislation. Ow-
ing TO the i'll health of Senator Culber-
son of Texas, Senator Overman of
North Carolina has charge of all meas
ures coming from the judiciary COM
mittee. In the house Congressman
Webb is chairman of the judiciary COM
mittee. and so North Carolina again
takes prominent place in regard to
other important legislation.
Conditions in the national capital
cause considerable comment from
time to time. Washington for n long
time has been known as one of the
most beautiful cities In the world, and
for many reasons 1t has attracted peo-
pie as place OF residence, although
they may have no business here.
Since the beginning of the war, and
the great influx Of workers, conditions
have become very disagreeable to the
residents. Prices have gone up, the
cost Of living having increased here
more than any other place in the coun-
| try; 1t Is almost impossible to secure
labor for any purpose; the wages Of
servants have been raised and many
| people have been unable to obtain
servants at any price. Then there has