The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-01-13
CAST SHADOW
OVER CONGRESS
Gaunt and Forbidding Bol-
shevism Stalks Through
Legislative Halls.
EUROPEAN FOOD MEASURE
Denial Of Relief to Hungered
Would Encourage World
wide Bolshevism.

Washington, Jan. 1s.-U. N. ST.
The gaunt and forbidding shadow OF
bolshevism was thrown upon con-
gress today when the presidents
widely discussed proposal of devoting
$10b, ,000, 900 OF American money to
helping feed the hungry or starving
peoples of Europe outside Of Ger
many was given precedence In the
house.
Demands by republican represent
atives for a bill of particulars as 10
how the president proposed the $l00.-
100000 is to be expended on Ameri-
can foodstuffs for foodless Europeans
were met with arguments of demo-
cratic leaders of the house, including
Representative Lever, of South Car
olina, chairman of the house agricul-
tural committee, that to deny hungry
or starving peoples overseas food
from American storehouses would he
to encourage the spread of bolshe-
vism at home as well as abroad.
Grave International Question.
The presidents proposal was but
one Of several grave international
questions confronting congress. That
Of lf-determination for Ireland, on
which the house foreign affairs COM
mittee is expected to report this
week, was another. Expulsion OF
German or other enemy undesirable
aliens interned during the war. ex-
clusion of foreigners OF bolshevist or
"red" tendencies, or the putting up
of bars against threatened after
the-war rush of immigration were
others which the house immigration
committee was scheduled to take up.
industrial Conditions
Industrial conditions in this coun-
try, with the turnover" Of workers
due to the cessation of war activities
and the necessity of securing en-
ployment for returning or discharged
soldiers, as we'll as for war workers,
was still another big problem con-
gress found itself still facing, with its
end on March 4 drawing rapidly
nearer,
With railroad and financial ques-
tions of unusual import also weigh
ing upon them, democratic and re.
publican leaders of both the senate
and house admitted that they had
IAN almost impossible job" to finish
II they are to get the big arrsnpria-
ton bills ana the long delayed revc-
nue. measure successfully out or the
way, II addition to considering tbs
Ef5f6reasf1E corfpfexiffeS' Of yfnter7ia-
tional questions already piling up as
an aftermath of the war.
Naturally Worried.
While admitting that they are
naturally worried" the democratic
aid Of night and even Sunday ses-
sions they would be able to carry out
their program of having the present
congress dispose of the momentous
tasks looming ahead of 1t In order
to prevent the president from being
forced to call an early special session
of the next congress, which the re-
publicans will control.
While the republican leaders of con-
gress insisted that the democratic pro-
gram will never be carried out, that
time Is too short between now and
March to permit its realization. they
themselves appeared uncertain as to
what the next few weeks would develop
with regard to the important legisla-
tion still heaped high in the commit
tees of congress or calendars of boil
shevists.
The republicans planned to call a
caucus this week for the purpose of
combing the difficult and perplexing
situation growing out OF reconstruction
and other grave problems the war had
brought to congress. No word yet has
soHe ioft as W tue caucus anu outSlue
of policy of delay and filibustering
and talk which they have pursued. the
republicans, or at least some of their
leaders admitted they lust didn't know
where they were at"
The republican snarl over the speak
ership of the next house has added to
the troubles of the party in its efforts
to define an exact pblicy for themselves,
the rival candidates for the gavel in the
house already split the republicans of
the lower chamber into at least three
camps The supporters of Representa-
tive James r. Mann, of Illinois. claimed
today they have enough votes already
to insure his election as speaker. They
admitted. however. they have been un-
able to pin down. the votes OF the
Pennsylvania, New York and New Eng
land delegations TO the next house,
when Pennsylvania alone will have the
largest republican membership 1t has
ever had in the house-twenty-eight of
its thirty-two members-while Indiana
and Ohio still remained shy of the Mann
column.
In the attitude of Indiana and Ohio
the Mann supporters profess to see a
carefully nursed boom for Representa-
tive Simon d. Fess of Ohio. chairman
OF the republican national congression-
al committee. although now that Col.
Roosevelt's death has caused so many
changes in the republican political
situation, his son-in-law, Representative
Nicholas Longworth, also of Ohio, is
being strongly suggested for the speak
ership, especially as he is to go IL
alone" instead of being merely re-
ferred to as a member OF the family
OF his distinguished father-in-law.
In the meanwhile. the hackers of
Representative Frederick II. Gillett. of
Massac achusetts another agpirant for the