The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-02-26

L f-N - SSSAAA Al NAO DAoNAANL Va wi
umbia. He was asked to inform the
Senate Of his authority for doing So.
In the House Mr.. Johnson intro
duced a bill providing the authority
and the system for using Il, includ-
Ing compensation, after awards made
by the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion and possible appeal to the courts.
Senate and House conceded in bills
for new era" on the farm. A bill
by Senator Lewis provides for small
farms Of 40 to $50 acres to be i'm
proved at public expense and sup
piled on deferred payments to COM
petent farmers. In the House Mr..
Norton introduced a carefully drawn
measure Of personal credits, supple
menting the existing farm loan ma
chinery so that loans at not over 6
per cent might be secured on a sys-
tenn now followed in France. Mr..
Norton applies the principle Of the
building and loan association and
adopts 1t to the control of the land
bank organization as now existing.
The House spent the day in de-
batting what Mr.. Lenroot described
as merely "perfecting amendments"
to the railroad bill, intended to pre-
vent the "absurdity" of language
which he thought does not express
the real purpose in view. One Of
these amendments, perfectinG the
first section on compensation, leaves
the Interpretation Of the question of
the three-year average rate as
maximum to the courts Of the future,
if there is no voluntary settlement.
A court disposed to lean one way or
the other, might have somewhat less
difficulty in leaning the railroad
way" under the perfected phrase
ology." Amendments limiting COM
pensation by percentages Of any
amount were voted down. Amend
ments adopted do not leave the
railroad bill" less q RAILROAD
bill than it was before.
Mrs. Thomas A. Edison is one Of
the incorporators of "the Recreation
Association of America" intended to
promote "play, Fairgrounds and
public recreation" without profit of
any kind to the promoters. Mr.. Hell
vering introduced bill in the House
to charter it.
Congressman Alvan T. Fuller sent
Speaker Clark his resignation from
the Committee on Expenditures in
the Department of the Interior. He
resigned on the ground that the
committee was an unnecessary ex-
pense and that it had done nothing
whatever. He thought a number of
Congressman on the sixty standing
committees of the House might bet
ter be put to doing some useful
work for the country and quoted
with Endorsement a statement that
the majority of our Congressman are
doing nothing more important than
telling stories and practicing up to
see who can spit the farthest." In
that connection, he protested against
the system Of committee manage
ment, which he thinks, reduces the
average Congressman to little more
than a igurehead."
The Secretary Of War asked the
Senate for four and a half million
dollars additional for extra employees
in the War Department. The Sec
rotary Of the Treasury needs $780,
900 more for enforcing the espion- |
age act through the Customs serv-
ice. As the diplomatic and consular
bill, which the House |
has passed, has been reported to the |
Senate, its items of appropriation, |
increasing steadily, are still almost
incredibly small, compared to totals |
of cost plus" contracts which have
followed diplomatic failure to Sc
cure peace without victory"