Evening star., 1919-02-23
AN EXTRA SESSION
IS DEEMED CERTAIN
Apparent Congress Cannot
Complete Legislative Pro-
gram by March a.
ADMITTED BY SENATORS

The Senate apparently has yielded
all idea of completing the necessary
annual supply bills and other inn
portant measures before this session
of Congress ends March 4. An extra
session in the spring is regarded as
essential on both sides of the cham
ber, as was admitted on the floor of
the Senate last evening during dis
cussion of what the legislative pro-
gram should be for the remainder of
the session. The only question in the
minds of the senators is the date of
the extra session. many believing it
will not be called by the President
until some time in May.
Effort to Settle Program Fails.
Under the leadership of Senator
Hardwick OF Georgia and Senator
Underwood of Alabama, both mem
bers of the Senate appropriations
committee, an attempt was made late
yesterday to have the Senate settle
On program to consider the annual
appropriation bills to the exclusion of
other business, with only uncontested
measures sandWiched in between the
appropriation bills
At the time Senator Pittman of Ne
vada was urging that the conference
report on the coal, oil and phosphate
lands leasing bill be made the unfin-
ished business of the Senate. Senator
Hardwick demanded that the Senate
proceed with the consideration of the
District appropriation bill, pointing
out that half a dozen of the appropria-
ton bills are on the Senate calendar
awaiting action and that some of them
Il ia
unless speedy action is had on them
BY vote of 2S to "a, however the
Senate decided to take up the confer
ence report on the leasing bill But
Senator Plttman's triumph was short
lived, for Senator La Toilette of Wis
consin made a point of order against
the report on the ground that it con-
tained material which was not in
either the Senate or the House bill,
but was inserted by the conferees in
violation of the rule of the Senate
Bill Goes Back to Conference.
After an hours discussion of this
point of order. Senator Kirby of Ar
kansas, in the chair, ruled that the
point was well taken and the leasing
bill was sent back to conference.
Senator Underwood, in urging that
the Senate adopt policy looking to
as speedily as possible, pointed out
that there are fourteen great supply
bills, and that final action has been
taken on none of them-that many
or them have not yet been considered
in the Senate at all, and that only
seven working days remain of the
present session.
II we are going to scrap these
supply bills. all right he said, but
we ought to decide either to keep
them before the Senate or arrange a
legislative program of some definite
form"
Senator'S Shafroth of Colorado and
Pittman of Nevada both admitted that
an extra session was inevitable. This
opinion is almost unanimous in the
Senate, and the senators decline to
remain at the Capitol for night ses-
sions in consequence. No progress
was made in the considera t1on of the
appropriation bills yesterday
Among the appropriation bills
which are regarded as almost certain
to fail of Passage is the Navy bill.
In fact, the word has gone round that
this measure is to fail. The Army bill
the sundry civil bill. the agriculture
bill and the Indian bill also may fail,
and will have to be considered at an
extra session.
other Legislation Awaits Action.
Other important legislation. which
is awaiting final action before the
close of the session is the bill au-
thorizing the issue of government
bonds, reported yesterday from the
House ways and means committee;
the bill appropriating $3.50, ZOO. 900 for
the railroads. and the bill for appro4
priations to make good the. govern
ment guaranteed price for wheat.
There is also the bill to make ef-
fective wartime prohibition, which
is pending before the Senate and
house judiciary committees.
Discussion of the proposed league
of nations promises to take up q
great deal of the time of the Senate
to delay still further consideration
OF the appropriation bills.
At Z o'clock last night the Senate
adjourned until tomorrow. It was
evident there was not u quorum pres.
ent and it was Impossible to proceed.