Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-07-02
TREMENDOUS TASK
BEFORE CONGRESS
NUMBER OF BIG PIECES OF LEG
IsLATIoN ON PROGRAM is
UNPRECEDENTED.
LONG DEBATES ARE CERTAIN
Appropriation Bills Must Be Put
Through in Hurry, but Some
Other Measures Will Require
Great Deal Of Time.
Ru EDWARD q. CLARK.

| shingtOn.-COngress Is consider
| ing, or already has considered In part,
program of legislation on which near
| ly every measure appears as a top
liner. Ii is doubtful if ever before
I'm the history Of the country there were
so many big pieces Of legislation be-
fore congress at one time as is the
case today, and in saying this one is
mindful of those congressional periods
In which the country was engaged in
war.
1t is only necessary to take list Of
the comparatively few things which
were given either full or partial con-
sideratiOn in one or the other of the
two houses within the space of four
days In order to prove the point Of
the legislative Importance of this SEES
sion.
In less than a handful of extremely
hot weather days congress discussed
the woman suffrage amendment; the
peace treaty; legislation for the return
of telegraph and telephone lines to pri-
vate operation; the repeal Of the lux.
ury tax section of the war revenue
bill; a resolution for the investigation
of war department expenditures the
agricultural appropriation bill, with its
rider TO repeal the daylight saving
law; the request of the railroad admin
lstration for $1.2OO.OO0,OOO for use in
operating the rail lines during the cal
endar year; army and navy appropria-
ton bills; enforcement of wartime
and constitutional prohibition, and leg
lslation concerning the display of the
red flag in public demonstrations.
viii Require Months of Work.
II is some list, is 1t not? One or
two Of these things already have been
acted upon, but weeks and perhaps
months of discussion must follow be-
fore even this comparatively small sec
tion of the congressional calendar can
be cleared up. 1t is perfectly futile
to attempt at this early stage of the
session to prophesy what congress will
do in many of these matters. The
Republican majority, of course, must
consider the possibility of presiden-
tial vetoes, and must make up It's mind
whether 1t win profit more by a veto
than by holding off on legislation which
is certain TO meet the 81 forbid"
For two or three weeks prior to the
converting of the extra session the be-
lief of bystanders and onloOkers in
Washington was that September would
see the close of debates and that at
that time the congressman might re-
turn to their homes to get three
months rest before coming back again
for the regular session In December.
Now all such thoughts have gone down
the wind. Congressman are all plan
ming 10 stay here at least until con-
vcntion time next year. 1t Is believed
that unless something comes to change
tho complexion of things the senate
will debate the pact of peace and the
covenant of the league of nations for
months.
Haste With Appropriation Bills
There is speed being made on the
appropriation bills. 1t is absolutely
necessary In order to run certain
branches of the government that these
bills shall be put through and signed
| by the president before the advent of
July. Not very many times in the his
| tory of the government have depart
ments been compelled to run money
| less. Once on a time the army got
along a while without any pay. Con
gress passed an army appropriation bill,
but tackled a rider on to II which the
president of the United States did not
like. Hayes was president at the
| time.
The president cannot sign part of
| bin while vetoing part of IL. He must
| either sign or veto the whole thing
1t is likely some day that the occa-
slonal mounting of riders in the sad
dies of appropriation bills will be dis
continued. AS a rule the riders never
reach their destination.
Uncle Sam Reused by "Reds."
The Lessons that the officials who
believe in punitive measures draw
from the attempted assassination of
Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer
In Washington, and from other entire
~ lawless proceedings elsewhere, Is
that the mollycoddling of anarchists is
more dangerous to the public than
hanging them.
Ii is promised now by the Wash
ingtOn officials that the attacks hy
bomb throwers will only Increase and
extend tie activities of our crime
detecting forces. We are determined
now as heretofore that organized crime
directed against organized government
in this country shall be stopped"
There is difference of opinion in
Washington as TO whether or not tire
government officials have been as nc.
tive against law breakers of all kinds
since the war began as they should
have been. The friends of the depart
ment of justice and of other depart.
ments say that everything that could
he done has been done and that n
Is a mistake to believe that leriency
with certain classes Of disturhers I'm.
been the rule and that as result at
tempts ar terrorism have increased.