Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-30
PreIiminaries to Be Brief,
as Organization Has
Been Completed.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
TO BE READ TUESDAY
Treaty and Railroad Bill Two
Leading Questions Be-
fore Senate.
BY \. 0. MESSENGER.

row for the regular or long session,
summer and possibly until the exigen-
cies of the presidential and congression-
al political campaign of 1920 get into
full stride. Organization of the two
houses having been perfected in the
extraordinary session recently closed,
preliminaries will be brief. consisting
of calling the roll to establish a quorum
in House and Senate and notifying the
President that Congress is prepared to
receive any communication he may see
fit to submit.
President Wilson's annual message will
be presented Tuesday, it was stated at the
White House yesterday. In the circum-
stances. it is anticipated that the mes
sage will be comparatively brief. Pre-
vious recommendations for legislation
remaining unprotected will probably be
repeated and stress laid upon the ne
cessity for prompt action on the rail-
road question.
In the Senate the two leading ques-
lions to come up for early, if not i'm
of the treaty and action upon the pend
ing railroad bill, providing for the reg
ulation Of the roads after they are re-
turned to private ownership. The House
has passed it's bill and the Senate COM
mittee on interstate commerce has re-
ported a measure which will be offered
as a substitute for the House bill.
III
The Senate bill was made the order
of unfinished business before adjourn
ment for the recess and will have right
of way unless displaced, by majority
vote, by the treaty.
Mexico may demand attention at the
very outset and at any rate is expected
to cause immediate discussion.
The present disposition of the Sen
ate leaders is to send the German
peace treaty, when resubmitted, to
the committee on foreign- relations and
let it rest there until an agreement
has been reached "out Of court" which
bids fair to assure a two-thirds vote
for ratification. This program will be
insisted upon by senators who demand
ately considered and disposed of in the
public interest. 1t will be quite agree
able to other senators intent upon
killing the treaty, IL possible, who will
regard delay as working for their
ends.
Senator's who have been back home"
during the recess are expected to
h~ir he Ia OF hni
stituents as to their views upon reser-
vations. and it remains to be demon
strated whether any senator's will be
moved from their previously conceived
judgment of the merits of the reserva-
tions.
Favors Disposal Of Treaty.
1t is believed that outside Of the
group of would-be KILLERS" of the
treaty the sentiment Of the Senate ia
vors speedy disposal of the treaty.
Leaders in both administration and
anti-administration groups have pri-
vately expressed the opinion that
there is sentiment favorable to ratifi-
cation with reservations, and that
this sentiment exists among senators
to the number Of two-thirds of the
body. An agreement to consolidate
this sentiment into a two-thirds vote
for ratification will necessitate i'm
portant yielding by the administration
from it's original demands, and some
concessions from the text Of the Lodge
reservations, though not from their
effect in maintaining American rights.
Earnest effort will be made to keep
the railroad bill before the Senate
heretofore announced his intention OF
returning the roads January 1, unless
Gongress has previously acted upon
the subject. Director General Hines
Of the railroad administration is in
favor Of turning the lines over to
private management, under strict
government regulation, at the earliest
date possible. The belief in the Senate
is that the President will not adhere
to the original date Of January 1, while
Congress is making a practical effort
to legislate for final return Of the
railroads.
The House will Immediately set its
appropriations committees to work on
the annual supply bills. The govern
ment estimates will be submitted by
. the Treasury Department tomorrow
and distributed to the several com
| nittees having jurisdiction over ex-
| penditures. The annual report of the
Secretary of the Treasury showing
| the state Of the national finances will
| be presented in the middle of the
week, pointing out the estimated
sources of revenue for Congress to
dispense.
| Calendars Filled With Bills.
| The House has it's calendars full OF
minor bills reported during the ex-
traordinary session, which will &C.
cupy the attention of that body while
the appropriation bills are being pre-.
pared. The conference report on the
Edge bill to finance foreign trade will
| receive early consideration.
| The Senate has before it large
srist of legislation hitherto ground
! out by the House, including some
subjects which will precipitate Ions
debate and require most serious at.
tention. Aside from the railroad bill
which Is counted upon to consume
! Continued on Fifth Page,