The spectator., 1919-06-27
TREMENDOUS TASK
 BEFORE CONGRESS
NUMBER OF BIG PIECES OF LEG- lSLATiON 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.
By EDWARD B. CLARK.

By EDWARD B. CLARK.
 Washington.-Congre Is consider Ing, or already has considered in part, q program of legislation on which near ly every measure appears as top liner. It is doubtful If ever before in 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.
 It 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 ses- sion.
 In less than 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- v0tc operation; the repeal of the lux ury tax section of the war revenue bill; 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 istration for $1.2QO, 100000 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 islation concerning the display of the red flag In public demonstrations.
 Will Require Months of Work.
 It 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 ton of the congressional calendar can be cleared up. It is perfectly futile to attempt at this early stage of the session to prophecy 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 will profit more by veto than by holding off on legislation which is certain to meet the T forbid"
 For two or three weeks prior to the converting of the extra session the be- liet of hyStanders 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 tho wind Congressman are all plan ming to stay here at least until con- vcntion time next year. It 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. It 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 time the army got along while without any pay. Con- gress passed an army appropriation bill. but tackled a rider on to 1t which the president of the United States did not like. Hayes was president at the time.
 The president cannot sign part of a bill while vetoing part of 1t. He must either sign or veto the whole thing. It Is likely some day that the occa- sionai 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 ly lawless proceedings elsewhere, is that the mollycoddling of anarchists Is more dangerous to the public than hanging them.
 It is promised now by the Wash lngton officials that the attacks by bomb throwers twill only increase and extend the 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 a difference of opinion in Washington as to whether or not the government officials have been as ac. five 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 Il is q mistake 10 believe that Tor hpncv