The sun., 1919-02-24
EXTRA SESSION
NOW NECESSARY
Only One Week Left, but Law
makers Interest Is Gen.
+ tired on League.
BIG MEASURES WAIT
Great Volume of Unfinished
Business Must Be Car
ried Over.
IG MEASURES WAIT
BIG

WAsHfNGToN, Feb. 23.--Consress will
enter tomorrow upon the last full
week of its life with interest centred
not on pending legislation, unpassed
bills and resolutions, conference re-
ports and appropriations. but upon the
debate in the Senate reflected to a de-
gree in the House on the League OF
Nations.
Leaders of both parties now admit
that action on many OF the measures
on the calendars OF both houses will
not be obtained and that an extraor-
dinary session of the Sixty sixth
Congress must be called. In view OF
the volume of unfinished business IT
must be called very shortly.
The date has not been set: it reposcs
with the President to determine when
1t shall be. but the problems before the
new Congress are of such dominating
I Importance that even the closest Ad-
ministration adherents admit that the
President will be compelled to an.
nounce an early call for the first ses-
/ sion.
Vast Amount of Work.
| In the seven legislative days which
| remain Congress must determine itself
| with regard to the vast naval pro-
gramme involving authorizations for
the expenditure of more than 500, ,000,-
900 and with the army appropriation bill
involving a similar amount. 1t has to
straighten out the size and form of the
bond issue for which the Treasury De
partment has asked authorization tC
float loan of $1,000, 100000.
! 1t is confronted with the problems OF
] abating disagreements over the river
| and harbor bill, the oil land leasing bill
and the great national problem of read
| justing relations between the transporta.
| ton systems and the Federal Govern.
| ment.
! There will be no action on the trans
| portation question. The Interstate Com
| merce Committee of the Senate has moi
even completed the hearings OF the rail
way executives the railway operatives
| the shippers and the financiers. Railway
legislation so far as the trainers OF tn,
measure which will have for its oEjeCt
the solution OF the question is con
cerned no step has been taken.
shipping Policy Held Up.
There also impends necessary legisla
ktion at an early date which Will frame
some policy for the United States Ship
ping Board, Up to the present efforts
OF the Shipping Board to frame a polio,
to which the Administration might sd
here have been fruitless.
The concluding week of Congress will
be its busiest. 1t marks the end of tn,
most important two years in the fegisla
ton OF the nation. Not since the foun
dation OF the Republic have questions o
such stupendous import concerned tn
\ national legislators.
But as the finale of the busiest Con
gress in history the climax is not on
of bri!!i4ace in the mattssi tho SJsi
ness OF Congress.
Leaders of both parties admit tina
Congress in its concluding phase is sim
ply a gathering of 53l tired men. VIII
have reached the limit of their endur
ance and who, were 1t not for the domi
mating interest attaching to the COMM
discussion of the International relation
of their country, would pass anything 1
the way of appropriations bill with tn
least possible discussion and hurry HON
for an interval OF relaxation.