The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-03-04
WAR SESSION
PASSES into
HISTORY AT
NOON TODAY
Stupendous Record Left Be-
hind by Body Which Car
ried Nation Into War-In
Session Since 1917.
IMPORTANT MEASURES
(By Associated Press)

sixty-flfth or great war congress
passed into history today with final
taps of the gavel by Vice-President
Marshall and Speaker Clark at noon.
Failure of scores of important bills
gave promise of early convening for
reconstruction legislation Of the new
Congress in extraordinary session, In
which control passes from the Demo
cratic party to the Republicans.
Unusual scenes OF confusion In the
final rush to complete its work ac-
companied the closing hours Of Con-
gress, in which President Wilson, just
back from France in his room off the
the Senate chamber, hastily signed
many last-moment measures.
Stupendous was the record Of the
Congress, which carried the nation
into and through the war and which
had been in almost continuous ses-
sion since 1t was called by President
Wilson into extraordinary session
April 2, 1917, to declare war against
Germany. 1t appropriated about $780,
O,000,0 900, authorized S25, 1000, 100000
in bonds, and enacted countless meas
ures for prosecuting the war and Of
domestic import. The new Congress
will take up the limitless task OF re-
construction problems, ratification OF
the peace treaty and other vital ques-
tions, probably Immediately after the
return of President Wilson from his
second visit to France.
Many War Speeches.
Special features Of the Sixty-ffth
Congress were many address by Pres
ident Wilson, including those recon-
mending war with Germany and Aus
tria, that of Pan. 8, 1917. enunciating
his famous fourteen principles OF
peace, and those endorsing woman
suffrage, announcing the armistice
terms imposed upon Germany last No
yember and, his recent address de-
failing accomplishments Of his work
at Paris.
There were three sessions OF the
Congress. The first, extra session
met April 2, 1917. following shortly
Senate filibuster on the administra-
tion armed ship bill which marked the
close of the Sixty-fourth Congress.
The dramatic night address of Presi-
dent Wilson lo urge war with Ger
many, which was promptly declared,
marked the opening of the extra ses-
sion, called but a few weeks after the
Presidents Inauguration for second
term. The session closed October g.,
1917, lasting 1873 days. The second
session-lasting 354 days and the
longest in the history of American
government-began Dec. 3, 1917, and
adjourned November 21, last. The
third and final session which ended
today began Dec. 2, last, and was the
statutory short session of SO days,
Substantial Democratic majoritfes
in both Senate and House since Pres
ident Wilson's Inauguration six years
ago now have passed, In the new
Congress. the Senate will have 40 Re-
publicans and AZ Democrats and the
House 238 Republican and 1913 Demo
Gratis, l Socialist, independents and
one Prohibitionist.
Veterans Retire.
Many veterans in both houses re-
tired with todays adjournment. In
the Senate these included Senators
Salisbury of Delaware, president pro-
tempore; Lewis of Illinois, Democrat
ic whip; Shafroth of Colorado;
Thompson of Kansas, Hardwick Of
Georgia. Hollis of New Hampshire,
and Vardaman of Mississippi, Goff of
West Virginia, Smith of Michigan and
Weeks of Massachusetts. Abong
prominent representatives whose serv-
ices ended were Miss Jeanette Rank
in of Montana, the first woman elect
ed to the House; Meyer London Of
New York, Socialist; Swager Sherley
of Kentucky, chairman of the appro-
priations committee; Hayes, Califor-
MIA, Keating, Colorado, Powers of Ken
lucky, Farster, Illinois, Cox, Barnhart
and Dixon of Indiana, Miller Mime
sofa, Borland, Missouri, Parker, New
Jersey, Carbon, Ohio. Farr, Pennsyl-
vania, O'Shaunessy, Rhode Island,
Slayden, Gregg and Dies, Texas, and
Cooper and Stafford of Wisconsin.
New members of the next Congress
include Senators-elect Harrison, Mis-
sissippi, Harris, Georgia, Stanley,
Kentucky, Capper, Kansas. Edge, New
Jersey. Elkins, West Virginia, McCor
mick. Illinois, Newberry, Michigan,
ana Walsh, Massachusetts.
Partisan politics, although 1t caused
the mandate for change from Dem
ocratIc TO Republican control of Con-
gress, was largely buried during the
war period, war measures being hasti-
ly rushed through with big bipartisan
majorities. Many acute controversies,
however, marked the Congress.
Among them were the 1917-191S ques-
tion of war efficiency, developed from
an investigations of the Senate mill
tary committee and reaching a climax
in thedispute between President Will
son and Senator Chamberlain Of Ore
gon, chairman Of the committee.
Others involved the league of nations
thine Overman bill comforting unlim-
tied authority on the President to re-
hrganize government departments,
|Eovernment control of railroads and
the food control act
important Measures Passed.
During the first session of the Con-
gress, devoted largely to prosecution
of the war, among the important meas
-. ,>o.c,d yyavo.