The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-05-29

washington, d. C.-COngress con-
venes, elects its new officers and com.
mittees, and begins It's grind. There
are few changes, above or below the
| surface. Democratic chairmen of com
mittees now step aside, but they will
sit next to the Republican chairmen,
| when the committees go to work, and
they will be only a slight degree less
active than before. After all, con-
gress Is a pretty continuous institu-|
ton, and enough Of the 435 represen-
tatives and the SO senators come back
after each election to prevent any
notable change in its methods or in the
face it presents to the world.
Champ Clark used to be Democratic
leader. After eight years in the
speakers chair he has been reelected
to his old Job Of leader on the floor
for his party. Claude Kitchin, major
ity leader when Champ was presiding
over the house, retires to his second
airy post in the committee on ways
and means Gillett will be speaker,
and Mann, Cannon and Mondell will
direct the Republican majority on the
floor, as they have been directing the
Republicans for years past.
In the senate the changes are all &C.
cording to seniority, thus far, except
in the case of Senator Cummins, who
is made president pro tenn In the hope
Of %placating the progressive element,
and possibly in the case Of Penrose
and Warren, whose political reputa-
lions are considered by a good many
Of their Republican associates to be
dangerous to party success next year.
But whatever the positions to be held
by PenrOse and Warren, 1t is inevi-
table that they shall have a powerful
influence upon Republican legislative
policy during the next two years. They
represent the bulk of the party organ
ization' known as the old guard, just
as Mann and his friends represent 1t
in the house.
Safe Prophecies.
Several prophecies Of this first ses.
sion are safe. First, the peace treaty
and league Of nations covenant will
be kept On the hot gr1ddle of hostile
discussion for several. months. Sec
ond, the attempt to return the rail-
road properties to private operation
with a governmental guaranty of their
hugely inflated and watered claims of
valuation-the claim that $19, 900 ,000.-
900 has been invested-will strike
snags because it means a big advance
in freight and passenger rates. Third,
legislation against the food mOnop-
oily will be shelved. Fourth, legisla-
ton designed to solve the problem of
unemployment will not be seriously
considered. Fifth, congress will run
along until November or December
without having satisfied the expecta-
lions Of the returned soldiers either
as to well-paid employment, cash
bonus or farms ready for their use
Labor Demands Initiative.
The more conservative organized
labor in the United States has almost
reached the point where it will demand
a share in the right to legislate. But
It will not be satisfied merely to take
a few seats in congress and in the
state legislatures, according to Henry
Sterling. legislative agent OF the
American Federation OF Labor. It
wants action in a score Of fields Of
legislative need. and It suspects that
the "iaw-making monopoly" as Ster-
ling terms the state and national legis-
~latures, will never in this generation
catch up with the crying wants Of the
people.
So, labor is going to raise a racket
In favor of the initiative, the refer
endum and the recall. Particularly is
1t interested in the initiative. It would
apply this to amending the federal
Constitution, as we'll as to amending
the statutes. What Judson King Of
the National Popular Government
league calls the gateway amend
ment" to the Constitution. which will
permit the people Of six OF eight
states to bring forward q proposed
amendment to the Constitution, to be
voted upon and approved by . major
ity Of the people In . majority OF tho
states, is wanted at the outset.
The convention Of the American
Federation Of Labor at Atlantic City
next month will draft q series Of de-
mands, among which will doubtless be
this one for the easy popular amend
ment Of the federal Constitution and
statutes.
The new congress has scarcely Q
man known prominently In the trade
union world.
Oftcers Lose Free Cars
Upon certain corners along fashion
| able Connecticut avenue, In the Official
residence quarter Of the national CAPT
tai, these bright spring mornings,
passersby have been interested to oh.
serve army automobiles, more or less
crowded with dapper young heuten.
ants, captains and an occasional
major, waiting at the curb. They
were waiting to ride to some down
town once, perhaps three quarters q
q mile distant. They waited because
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