Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-05-09
SPECIAL SESSION
Of CONGRESS FOR
MAY IS IS CALLED
President Wilson Issues
Summons by CabIe-Ap-
propriations and Other
Matters Require Attention

WASHINGTON. May 7.-President
Wilson issued a call by cable today
| for a special session OF congress u
meet Monday, May ~.
Secretary Tumulty, in making the
| announcement, said 1T would De IN
possible, of course, for the presldeehC
| to be here on the opening DAY, Iae :.
| date fixed for the special session was
much earlier than democratic leaoerH
| had expected.
White House officials said that In
naming an early date for the session,
President Wilson was guided largely
| by the advice of Secretary Glass as
appropriation measures which failed
| in the closing days of the last ses-
| sion.
Return Not Known
There was no information at the
| White House either as to the prcpable
| time Of the return OF the president
| from France or the submission OF tae
peace treaty to the senate, but some
| administration leaders believed the
| president had called the extra session
| earlier than had been anticipated ~
! order that congress might perIect IFS
| organization and dispose of the more
| important appropriation measures Pc
| fore the treaty was ready for cons1d-
! Grafton.
| Republicans of the house virtually
| have completed their organization,
| but the senate has done no organlza-
| ton work and this probably will oc-
| cupy it's attention for the first week
| or more of the special session. The
| house, however, can be considering
! the appropriation measures IN the
meantime. The supply bills that fail
! ed in the last congress Will be intro
duced anew, but the secretary OF the
| treasury has decided it will not be
| for tho Government deDart-
ments to submit new estimates.
Chair1nen Are Summoned
! House and senate republican lead
| ers today sent out calls to chalrmen
| of important committees to hurry to
! Washington that appropriation bills
may be whipped into shape by the
| time the extra session meets, May 10.
Announcement Of the date of the
call Immediately caused great activi-
ty at the capitol Senator Lodge, re-
| publican leader, held a conference
with Senator Curtis, republican whip,
to arrange for the presence of every
republican senator on the opening
day. Senator Lodge announced a
republican caucus would be held May
! IA.
Big Tasks Faced
] The sixty-sixth congress faces
/ tasks that threaten to match the
| y
| making war congress-.
Big issues include:
Adoption of the army and navy
program on a peace basis, and appro-
priation of the money necessary to
carry them into effect.
Solution of the railroad puzzle by
legislating for the future control OF
| the lines.
Settlement of the amounts to be
paid the telephone and telegraph
companies for the use of their lines
by the government during the emer-
gency.
Decision as to the future of the
merchant marine.
Legislation to aid business in get
ting back from war to peace
basis.
Legislation to enforce national pro-
hibition.
Laws to curb Bolshevism.
In addition there will be many mis-
cellaneous appropriation measures
and other bills.
These include revision of the in
ternal revenue and tariff laws; reVi-
sion of the court-martial system
creation. of budget system; investiga-
agencies blamed by republicans for
war blunders; efforts to amend the
constitution or pass laws to prevent
in future, the granting Of broad blan-
ket powers to the executive depart
ment, either in peace or war time.
The proposed budget system may
be made an administration measure
and take it's place in the category
of inevitable tasks. Efforts will also
be made to repeal practically all the
war measures passed by the last
congress and according to indica-
tions, there will be an unusual mum
Der of freak" reconstruction and re-
adjustment schemes, financial, social
II and economic.