Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-02
CONGRESS HEARS
PRESIDENT TODAY.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

ton he regards as necessary for the
transition of the country from a
war to a peace basis.
Few formalities for the opening
day of the new session are planned
After Vice President Marshall and
Speaker Clark formally open the
sessions of the senate and house
rolls will be called to disclose
quorums, new members will be
sworn in and committees appointed
to notify the respective bodies and
the president that congress is ready
to proceed with business.
Generally the presidents annual
address is delivered to congress on
the day following the opening OF the
regular December session, but the
joint session was arranged for to-
morrow so that the president might
hasten his departure for Europe.
Democratic Control Near End.
At its last session congress saw
the end of the war and now it faces
in the new session, which expires
next March 3 by statutory limita-
ton, the problems of peace and re-
construction. If the peace treaty
is negotiated before the session
ends, it will come for ratification
before the present senate, but 9TH
erwise it probably will be consid-
cred at special senate session after
March 3.
With the passing of the Sixty
fifth congress, democratic control of
the two houses will cease, major
ity of republicans having been elect
ed to both senate and house of the
next congress, which will hold its
first regular session next December.
If special session would be called
before then, however, it would be
of the Sixty-sixth congress.
For the first time in the recollec-
ton of congressional attaches the
annual appropriation estimates will
not be ready for presentation to-
morrow. Reductions necessitated
by the change from war to peace
conditions will delay their submits
sion a few days.
Taxes and bonds are other i'm
portant subjects ahead. New bond
issues are regarded as certain, nut
there now is doubt whether the
pending revenue bill, revised by the
senate finance committee to impose
$6,000,000,000 of taxes next year and
$4,000,000,000 in 1920, will be enact
ed. The bill will be reported to the
senate this week, probably Thurs
day, with debate beginning the fol-
lowing Saturday or Monday. If
passage of the bill is delayed,
emergency legislation is planned so
collection of taxes will not be de-
layed.
Numerous investigations are ex-
pected during the winter. The in
quiry of the senate judiciary COM
mittee into brewers propaganda
activities, including their loans to
Arthur Brisbane for the purchase of
the Washington Times, will be re-
sumed next Tuesday, with Mr.. Bris-
bane and Alexander Konta. named
by Alien Property Custodian Palm
err as an alleged agent in negotia-
tons looking to the purchase of
by German interests
summoned to testify Wednesday.
The coal shortage inquiry of the
senate manufactures committee will
be continued tomorrow and the
senate military committee also will
hold special meeting to inquire
into alleged delays in publication
of the casualties of the American ex-
peditionary forces.
Settlement soon of the woman
suffrage question is planned. The
house resolution proposing submits
sion of the Susan B. Anthony wo-
man suffrage amendment is pending
before the senate. Although de-
feated last October, its advocates
now believe it can be adopted be-
cause of changes in the senate per-
sonnet and sentiment.