Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-10
CUMMINGS RAPS
G.O.P.FOR PLOT
Democrats Ch arm a n
Charges Crippling Of U. S.
10 Embarrass Wilson
sBLOCKS VITAL WORK
Cites What He Calls Partisan
Attack on the Reconstruc-
ton Program
BIZ a Sto1 Correspondent

w..h,netop. u. C.. March 10.-For
conducting the hlibuster IN the senate
In the closing hours of the last session
Of Congress and preventing the passage
OF important legislation. the Republicans
were charged today by Homer S. cum
minRs. Of Connecticut. chairman or the
Democratic National Committee, with
trying to cripple the government force
an extra session and thereby prevent
Presidents wilson's return to Paris
purely for partisan purposes and 10
embarrass the President.
Defeat of departmental appropria-
tions and important fiscal measures
through a Republican f1libuster In the
Senate" said he delays and hampers
reconstruction at the moment when the
countrys Industrial and commercial IN
terests were reviving from the effects
of the war, retards rehabilitation OF
troops, prevents the organization OF
regular army to replace men overseas,
deprives the railroad administration on
funds for repairs and Improvements,
checks the employment of labor and the
absorption of materials In naval mill
tary and general construction, and i'm
pairs business confidence.
semiluxury Tax cited
zone of the results of this successful
opposition TO vital legislation Will be
felt by virtually every man and woman
in the tax of 10 per cent on the sale or
semiluxuries The Democratic attempt-
ed to repeal this provision Of the revenue
act
Some faint idea of the harmful conse-
ouences OF this hlibuster TO the bust
ness of the government and the welfare
of the people including soldiers and
workers, may be gained from mere
mention of the $4,000, 100000 total of
appropriations killed
Among those mentioned by Mr.. Cum
mings were:
The army appropriations of s1.23s.-
2se.967 needed by the War Department
TO continue its provision for the Amer
ican forces overseas and to hasten the
return of the soldiers to peaceful pur-
suits.
'The naval appropriations. which in
cluded 5000. 900 for the bureau of
medicine and surgery. Secretary Dan
iels says the defeat Of the emergency
deficiency bill has created a serious
situation and made a hard job
harder
''The general deficiency bill. which
provided an appropriation of s750,0O0,-
600 for compensation of carriers and for
improvements and betterments.
Among the items in this bill was one
for 81. 500. 900 for the maintenance of the
United States Employment Service.
which has been placing returning SOL
diers and other workers at the rate or
1000 a month
Soldiers Settlement Killed
The soldiers settlement. the general
leasing bill, the Indian bill. the water
bill. the civil service retirement bill
public buildings bill, a bill excluding
immigration for five years. and a con-
stitutional amendment to enfranchise
women.
~Every one of the appropriations was
necessary in the operation OF the gov
eminent, as the Republicans themselves
conceded when they permitted them to
reach the final stages OF enactment.
They must have been determined, IL
possible, to create a situation in which
the government would suffer, and there
by ceerce the Executive into Immediately
calling an extra session"