Evening star., 1919-03-02
by n. O. MESSENGER.


week In Congress were the
manifestation Of the clash of
Wills between the President
and the Senate. and the settling OF the
speakership contest in the House with
the reorganization OF the official per-
eonnel for the next Congress.
It was a week of tense interest from
the moment the President landed on
these shores and threw down the
gauge of defiance to the opponents in
the Senate Of his policies. The House
and Senate held evening sessions and
great throngs of people gathered at
the Capitol to listen to the proceed
ings.
Far into the night the light burned
in the great lantern in the dome, indi-
eating that Congress was in session.
and like firefIies in the grass twinkled
the lights of hundreds of automobiles
parked around the stately building
Inside, the work of the Congress went
on I'm conference committees, where
men wrestled over the compromise
propositions of vexing problems. and
on the floor of the House and Senate.
while packed galleries of spectators
followed the proceedings.
Everybody was interested in the
contest of wills between the President
and the Senate, which took on dou-
bIe-header phase before the week was
over. First, it was a clash over the
league of nations plan. and then
tive and the Senate over the question
Of an extra session. When the Presi-
dent came back from abroad he caused
it to be made known that he would
insist upon the Senate adopting his
league of nations plan just as it
islands, and would appeal to the coun-
try to bring pressure to bear upon the
Senate. He was full of fight, and
made no bones of his intention to
carry the battle into the uttermost
Tines of the opposition and with every
means at his command.
The challenge was picked up imme-
diately by the Senate, by democrats
and republicans as well. Speeches
were made on both sides of the cham
Der opposing the league of nations
plan as constituted and notice was
served that other speeches would be
made. Then came the dinner at the
White House to the members of the
Senate committee on foreign relations
and the House committee on foreign
affairs at which the President en-
poyed hts personal magnetism to win
over supporters of his project. Re-
ports say it was a charming evening.
but no recruits were gained. One of
the guests said afterward that he was
most impressed by the President not
h3ving an array Of legal argument to
back up his own personal interpreta-
a1cn ard construction Of the constitu-
tion Of the league of nations. which
had been challenged in the Senate on
legal and constitutional grounds. He
was content. this guest said. to assert
that such and such a thing was or
would be the case and expected his
listeners to accept his declaration.
X X
Anyhow. for the next-two days there
were no indications Of change of
= heart upon the part
E~%~o c..s;on of any one who had
been known to take
Causes Clash. issue with the Pres.
ident>on the league of nations.
Then came the set-to with the Con-
eress on the question of an extra ses-
sion. It was evident by the middle of
the week that unless all senators
should abandon every other thought
and settle down to determination to
pass the appropriation bills and other
measures of great Importance. they
must OF necessity fail. The President
caused il to be announced that he
did not propose to call an extra ses-
sion of the next Congress until he re-
turned in June from the peace con-
ference, IL he called one at all. so that
Il behooved the Senate to proceed with
dispatch and pass the bills.
In disseminating this ultimatum
from the President it was said that
the President would hold the republi-
cans responsible for the failure of ap-
preparation bills. That made the re-
xhey began to see red and to stiffen up
IN their opposition to the President
and his party and all their works,
They disavowed party responsibility,
pointing out that the Senate was con-
trolled by the democrats. who were re-
eponsible for the conduct of public
business.
1he President went to the Capitol in
sperson toward the end of the week and
talked pretty stiff
President Goes ay to the demo
cratic leaders, the
70 the capitol. word intended to
30 passed on to the republicans As
the week end approached the situation
looked very ugly. The republicans had
given notice that unless certain
amendments desired by them to the
victory loan bill should be made that