Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-03
vICT DRY
LOAN Bill
P A S Sc S
CONGRESS
Legislative Situation Now
Such That President Can De-
lay Extra Session Until
Return From Europe.

Washington, March 2.-The Six
ty-ffth congress enters tomorrow
upon its last full working day fac
ing an unprecedented mass of legis-
lation, but with the contested VIC
tory loan" bill out of the way. Both
senate and house after convening in
the morning are expected to work
steadily until sine die adjournment
at noon Tuesday.
The senate remained in session
all last night to pass tine loan bill,
the keystone measure of the calen
dar, adjourning shortly before !
o'clock this morning while the
house today held a business session,
disposing of the conference report
on the hospital bill The senate
also held a brief session today for
eulogies of deceased congressman,
but business went over until-tomor-
row.
No Filibuster Undertaken.
Passage of the loan bill without
a record vote and in the form which
it came from the house definitely
marked the course of future legisla-
tion and gave assurance that Presi-
dent Wilson would not find it neces-
sary to change his plan of calling
the new congress after his return
from France, probably in June. Most
republicans favored an earlier extra
session, but after republican sena,
tors failed to reach any decision as
to the advisability of ohstructing
the loan bill. no filibuster was un-
dertaken.
Although many important bills.
including the $720,000,000 navy ap-
propriatson measure with its au-
thorization of a new three year
building program and the Sl,2l5.-
100000 army bill, apparently are
doomed, administration leaders be-
lieve that none is of sufficient inn
portance to require an earlier call
of congress.
Measures to Be Passed.
Final action by the house on the
| $l,000,000,000 wheat price guarantee
bill is expected tomorrow.
Another important bill regarded
as certain of enactment is general
deficiency appropriation measure,
carrying $750,000000 additional for
the railroad administration.
Of other important bills remain
ing, leaders tonight planned to pass
the diplomatic, hospital construc-
tion and military academy approp-
ration measures and that repeating
the war tax on semi-luxuries.
Besides the army and navy bills,
legislation which seemed certain to
fail included the $850000,000 sundry
civil bill, which contains $660,O00,-
900 for the shipping board, and the
oil and mineral land leasing and
water power development measures
Disposition of the agricultural ap-
preparation bill, containing the SEN
ate committee rider proposing re-
peal of the daylight saving law and
many other measures still was re-
garded in doubt.
Suffrage leaders admitted today
that there was no possibility of con-
gress acting upon the compromise
equal franchise constitutional
amendment resolution at this ses-
sion
LaFollette Speaks Three Hours.
Passage this morning of the "Vic-
tory loan" bill, authorizing sale by
the treasury of $7,000000,000 of new
short term notes and $1,000, ,000,-
900 for advances by the war finance
corporation in extending American
foreign commerce, came after Bit
ter controversy.
/ Senator LaFollette of Wisconsin
republican, made the principal
speech on the bill, holding the sem
ate floor from o'clock this morn
ing until after 4. He had expected
to speak only an hour and disclaim-
ed intending obstruction.
When the Wisconsin senator con-
cluded, Senator Penrose of Penn
sylvania, republican, sought to force
an adjournment without action on
the bill. A quorum was lacking but
the administration leaders had the
sergeant-at-arms round up absen-
tees and. after quorum was Sc
cured at 8 o'clock. the bill was
promptly put through.