The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1919-03-06
SIXTY-FIFTH CONGRESS
CLOSES
Many Important Balls Not Reached
No Extra Session Soon.

fifth congress, the war congress,
adjourned sine die at IL o'clock noon
today.
In the senate members were going
on record in favor of demobilizina
troops in cantonments in the United
States within 80 days, when the vice
presidents gavel fell.
The final vote of the senate was
not direct upon the question of de-
mobilization, but as test vote it in
dicated that the senate. had few
hours remained to the session. would
have directed demobilization OF all
troops, in the United States within 80
days.
The vote on the rehabilitation
question came most Unexpectedly at
the end Of 12-hour filibuster, to pre-
vent the passage of the general def
cheney bill, with its appropriation OF
$75o,Ooo, 900 to defray expenses of
federal control of railroads.
The filibusters-Senators Sherman.
I.aFollette and French-were sue
cessful in their efforts. Not only did
they defeat the general deficiency
bill, but in addition they defeated
four other important appropriation
lneasures-the army bill. the navy
bill, the agricultural appropriation
bill and the sundry civil bill.
- Both houses were engaged or
Soldier bills" when the time for ad-
journment came. In the house the
last bill brought up was a senate
measure to amend the war risk in
surance act, to permit soldiers to con-
vert their war time insurance policies
into various forms of commercial in
surance. The bill died with the ses-
sion.
Senator Sherman, who had spoken
in the senate since daybreak. yielded
the floor at 1880 o'clock to permit
the passage of bill increasing the
clerical force of the lower house
Senator Gore seized his last chance
of the session and offered as an
amendment his bill directing the de-
mobilization OF all soldiers in the
United States within 80 days. Sena-
tor James Hamilton Lewis. retiring
administration whip. also tried un-
successfully to attach to the measure
his resolution indorsing the course of
President Wilson in the negotiations
for the creation of league OF ma
tiOns. H.. ~ .sa =. ~s-
Lewis. amendment was ruled out
on a point of order after it had been
read Senator Pittman of Nevada
then moved to lay Cores demobiliza--
ton amendment on the table. Amid
the greatest excitement, while the
hands of the clock travelled swiftly
toward adjournment. the rollNcall was
taken. The senate refused to lay the |
amendment on the table by vote OF
48 to SO.
Senator Trammel OF Florida woul,l
amend by inserting 90 instead OF 80
days. Then came the last roll call OF /
this historic session. 1t was taken on
a motion by Senator Smoot, Repub-
lican, to lay the Trammel amendment
ON the table. The roll call had just
been completed and the vote-44 to
40 for tabling-announced, when the
vice presidents gavel fell, announc-
ing the end of the session and one OF
the most momentous congresses
since the nation was born passed in
to history.
Republican demands for an extra
session have been insistent. and it
was the purpose of Senator Sherman
and others in conducting the fill
buster and killing numerous import
ant bills, to force an extra session.
President Wilson, however, was
firmly set against an extra session
and after the adjournment he issued
a statement declaring that a group
of men in the Senate have deliberate
" chosen to embafrass the admins
tration of the government, to imperil
the financial interests of the railway
systems of fhe country, Ii
The Presidents statethent follows:
"A group of men in the Senate
have deliberately chosen to em-
barrass the administration of the
government, to imperil the finan-
cial interests of the railway sys-
TENS of the country, and to make
arbitrary use of powers intended
to be employed in the interests
of the people.
"I take it for granted that the
men who have Obstructed and
prevented the passage of neces.
sary legislation have taken all OF
this into consideration and are
Z willing to assume the RESPONSE
bility of the impaired efficiency
of the government and the en-
barrassed finances of the coun-
try during the time of my en-
forced absence.
"It is plainly my present duty
to attend the peace conference IN
Paris. It is also my duty to be
in close contact with the public
business during session of the
Congress. I must make my
choice between these two duties.
and l confidently hope that the
people of the country will think
that I am making the right
choice.
"It is not in the interest ofthe
right conduct of public affairs
that shall call the Congress n
special session while It 10 impos-
sible for me to be in Washington
because Of . more pressing duty
elsewhere. to cooperate with the
: hcuses."