The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-03-13

party's campaign organization. It IL
his latest picture.
requisite. will be obtained from a
statement OF their purposes.
The army appropriations Of 1885,
2S2.967 were needed by the war de-
partment to continue it's provision for
the American forces overseas and to
hasten the return OF the soliiers to
peaceful pursuits. as Secretary Baker
has pointed out These appropriations
represented also large credit for the
purchase Of materials and supplies and
the employment of labor
| Makes Job Harder.
The naval appropriations included
I$5,0O0.000 for the bureau Of medicine
and surgery. Secretary Daniels says
the defeat of the emergency deficiency
bill has created a serious situation"
and made a hard job harder"
| The general deficiency bill provided
an appropriation of $3.50. 900 which
had been requested by the railroad
administration as an addition to its
| revolving fund for the compensation
of the carriers and for improvements
| and betterments.
| Among the items in this bill was. one
for $1,s0O,O00 for the maintenance of
the United States employment SER
vice. which has been placing returning
soldiers and other workers at the rate
| of 100000 a month. The registration
offices of the employment service at
the Rehabilitation camps will have to
be discontinued. Authorization for the
work and expenditures of the war
labor board also was contained in this
| bill.
| The sundry civil bill. carrying APP
| preparations of $1,122,919,735, affects
many departments. 1t provided $780,
000,0 for the shipping board, and
funds necessary for the operation of
various departments, which will now
be greatly handicapped.
The soldiers settlement, which con-
templated the reclamation Of lands as
homesteads for returning soldiers. was
defeated along with the rest. This
measure would have made it possible
to establish thousands of soldiers and
sailors in homes in the rural districts
where they could support themselves
and their dependents.
| Favored Leasing Bill.
| The general leasing bill was one Of
the measures which the administration
had favored and fostered for several
| years. Under it's provision zoe, 00O, 900
acres of public lands would be leased
for development. This land COM
prises 365.000,000 acres of forest re-
serves. 100000 acres Of coal lands.
100000 acres OF phosphate lands and
.O0O. 900 acres Of oil lands
The Indian bill appropriating $15,-
00O, 900 and the budget for the District
of Columbia, totaling $13,os3. 900. are
| included in the list of important legis-
| lation which the filibuster strangled.
For lack OF funds the streets OF Wash
ington are likely to remain without
proper care and cleaning. Three hum
dred men engaged in that work have
already been laid off.
| The water power bill was lost after
six years of hard work. President
Wilson took deep interest In this
measure. Two years ago he called
members Of the senate and house into
conference and prevailed on them to
appoint a special committee and fran,
suitable bill to develop the WAFER
power resources OF the country and
safeguard the public interest The
measure failed in the very last stage
Of its passage.
Besides the bills enumerated the
filibuster also defeated the civil ser
vice retirement bill, the public build
ings bill. making appropriations OF
$63, 000, 900 for construction and re-
pairs, a bill excluding immigration for
five years. joint resolution to repeal
the 10 per cent tax on semi-luxuries
and a constitutional amendment to
enfranchfse women.
All Were Necessary.
Every one OF these appropriations
was necessary in the operation OF the
government, as the republicans them
selves conceded when they permitted
them to reach the final stages OF en-
actment: but incidentally they would
the country by assisting in the en-
ployment OF labor and furnishing a
market for large quantities OF sup
plies and materials.
Tho opportunity to pass all or these
measures was as plain as the neces-
sity for their passage. The republi-
i can leaders surely cannot claim that
they were opposed to the appropria-
lions bills. providing tho government
with funds for the orderly transact
ton OF business They must have been
determined. IL possible. to create
situation in which the government.
would suffer. and thereby coerce the
eecutive into Immediately calling an
extra session of congress. They
knew that If an extra session OF con-
gres should be called at once. the
president could not return to COM
piete his great work at the peace con-
ference.
The republicans therefore sought to
cripple the government, force an ex-
ira session and prevent the presidents
L return IN paris eo1olx- that thar sn{uht