The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-03-04
CONGRESS HAS ENDED DUTIES
65TH SESSION: MAKES RECORD
Continued from Page One)

It then passed in rapid succession
such measures as the S50,O0O,OOO
900, housing bill to provide quarters
housing bill, followed by $60,000,-
for munitions and shipyard workers;
the bill protecting civil rights Of SOL
diers and sailors; created the war
finance corporation to help business
help win the war; the railroad con-
troll act, taking over the railroads;
the daylight saving law; the Over
man act, giving the president sweep
ing power to speed UP and coordinate
departmental activities; the third
and fourth liberty loan acts, the wire
control act, under which the tele-
graphs and telephones were taken,
and the law extending the draft age
down to Is and up to As.
It appropriated the vast sum Of
S36,29S,405,0 5000. Practically all
went to war work at home, main
tanning our army abroad, and help
ing the allies with loans.
On November II, President Wilson
announced to the second session that
its work had been done--the war was
won, and on November FL the war
winning session ended.
REIMBURSEMENT NeXC.
The readjustment session had been
looked to by many In and out Of con-
gress to buckle down at once to soly-
ing reconstruction problems, some Of
which were thrust with startling
suddenness before the country be-
cause OF the crushing and uneXpect-
eddy early defeat OF the central
powers.
But congress apparently suffered
from the same reaction that affected
business and, to a degree labor. 1t
relaxed after the war, and the read
justment session was session Of
readjusting congress. Most of 1t was
spent in criticism, both by democrats
and republicans, Of war mistakes and
blunders, and in discussion Of Presi-
dent Wilson's mission abroad and Of
his peace terms.
The session did manage few &C
mpllshments, however, including
the final enactment of the $6,000,-
100000 war tax bill; appropriation
of nearly $4,000, 100000 to clean
UP war business, feed starving
Europeans. care for the railroads,
and run the vastly expanded activi-
ties of the government.
Senate Beats Suffrage.
Near it's close, the senate relegated
to the 66th congress the question OF
woman suffrage, by defeating the
Susan B. Anthony amendment, which
the house had passed. Twice during
the 65th congress the senate mega
lived house action on this measure.
Wartime prohibition, so called,
was imposed on the entire country
TO begin July l. 1919. and both SEN
ate and house passed the dry amend.
ment to the federal constitution,
which was speedily ratified, and be.
comes effective January 16, 1890.
The closing session also replaced on
the books child labor law, the pre-
vious one having been declared I'M
constitutional. By taxing profits
from the sale of products Of child
labor In the revenue bill, advocates
Of this legislation declared they have
gotten around the constitutional OBJ
lection. A test is coming on this.
Practically no reconstruction leg
islation was passed. The third ses-
sion failed to settle the permanent
policy on railroads or telegraphs, and
was unable to agree whether the
executive or legislative branch recon
struction policies. g.. q. - :
During the entire congress, hut
chiefly in the second session, there
was conflict between congress and
the president. In the many clashes,
the president was invariably able TO
impress his will when war measure
was up. His only signal failure on
any measure was on woman suffra ee
He failed with the country when
in the fall of 1918 he appealed for
election of democratic congress to
cooperate with him in reconstruc-
ton. Both house and senate wi. be
republican in the 66th congress.