Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1919-03-06
A Notable Congress.

A Notable Congress.
Held Longest Continuous SEES
sion, 354 Days. Appropriated
More Money and Enacted
More Important Legislation
Than Any Other i'm Nations
History.
Record breaking in every respect is
the dying Slxty-ffth Congress which
adjourned sine die at noon Tuesday
The fifth war Congress that has met
since the capital was established in
Washington, it has almost continu-
ously been in session since President
Wilson called it together in extra ses-
sion on that memorable April =, 1917
on the eve of Americas entry into
the war against Germany. There
have been but g. days of the entire
period of 7O1 since that Congress had
not been in session when the final
gavcl fell Tuesday.
No other Congress in the nations
history can boast of such a record.
No other Congress- can begin to
measure up to this one in billions
appropriated, in character of the leg
islation enacted, in the broad war
power granted to the Executive, in
Capitalization of power in the Execu-
tive for purely war purposes, in pro-
vision for the amendment of the Con-
stitution itself. No other Congress
can begin to measure up to this one
in revenue legislation enacted, in the
extent and weight Of taxation levied
to enable the Administration to pay
the bills it has contracted during the
war.
The first session of the War Con-
gress assembled April 2, 1917, and
ran lSS days, until October 6, 1917.
After brief breathing space, the first
regular session opened December 3,
1917, and lasted until November 81,
1918. This was the session during
which most of the war legislation was
enacled, including the declaration of
war. It was session that lasted
354 days. 1t was the longest contin-
uous session in the entire history of
the nation. Onl y two sessions APP
proach it in duration, one of them
being the second session of the Sixty
third Congress which met December
|, 1913. 1t lasted 32S days.
The other was the famous second
session of the Fortieth Congress,
which met December 2, 1867, during
Andrew Johnson's term and which
lasted 345 days out of a possible $50.
But the second session of the Sixty
fifth Congress, which sat continuously
for span of 354 days-just II days
short of a year-tops the record.
The third session of the present
Congress met December = last, two
days before President Wilson went to
Europe, and sat 80 days when it adj
Journed Tuesday, on the eve of the
President return trip to France
With the exception of two days at
its inception and the final week of
the session, this session of the Sixty
fifth Congress has operated at long
distance range from the President,
who has been absent SO of the 80 |
daye of the session. Some of it's acts
have been signed by the President
abroad, but most of it's important
have been signed by him since his re-
turn from France.
With the adjournment of Tuesday
political control Of the legislative
branch passed into the hands of the
Republican party, For the first time
in eight years the Democratic party
has been relegated to the role of a
minority party, 1t took control of
Congress at beginning of the Sixty
third Congress which met in extra
session at the call of President Taft