Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-03-03
Opening Of Last Legislative
Finds Vital Appropriation
Bills Far From Passage; Re-
pubIicans Uncertain.
BOTH HOUSES TO REMAIN
OPEN TILL NOON TUESDAY
Some Minority Leaders Warn
of FiIibuster, but Impression
Prevails Passage of Victory
Loan Bill Broke Spirit.
BY L. c. MARTIN.

BY L. c. MARTIN.
Washington, March S.-Supply bills
|totalling more than $2,659, 100000 to-
day appeared doomed as the house
and senate were on the final lap of the
session.
Senate Republicans affirmed their
determination to stop all appropria-
ton bills except the deficiency bill
carrying $750,O00.000. If this program
is adhered to the end of congress to-
morrow at noon will find the follow
ing measures still to be acted on:
Army bill $1,117,o0o 900.
Navy bill s625, 1000, 600.
Agricultural $37,000,0o0.
Indian sic,
District Of Columbia $13,esa,ooo.
Sundry civil bill $850,o00 900.
TALkFEsTs CONTINUE.
The money appropriated by these
bills must be provided for by June 30,
or the departments will not have any
thing to work with.
Although the railroad deficiency bill
was ostensibly before the senate, the
opening hours showed no progress on
1T. Speeches on the league of nations
and the Ford Newberry elections con-
test delayed the senate from real
business
Efforts of suffragists to get their
amendment onl,s,the calendar were
blocked again by Senator Weeks, Mass
Senator Meyers, Montana, tried in
vain to get UP Secretary Lanes bill
providing reclamation work so that
soldiers and sailors might have farm
homes.
WON'T HELP SOLDIERS.
This was the signal for an at
tack by Gronna, North Dakota,
who said the bill was not so much
for the benefit of the soldiers as
for those who want to reclaim the
dismal swamps and country.
Everything is for the soldiers
these days." said Gronna. "Under
that plea many attempts are on
foot to loot the treasury. This
bill won't help soldiers; it will
make paupers of them by stick
ing them on useless land with a
few thousand dollars and a gov
ernment mortgage around their
necks."
Both houses Will remain in practi-
cally continuous session from today
until noon tomorrow.
The final hours promised to climax
fittingly the work of the "war con-
gress," which has broken all records
for money spent, unusual laws passed
and work left undone.
Interest centered in the senate as to
how many appropriation bills the Re-
publicans would force over to the ex-
ira session.
The general impression among both
Democrats and Republicans early to-
day was that the army and navy, ag-
rlculture and District of Columbia ap-
preparation bills would fail of pas
sage.
Republicans were reticent. They re-
fused to announce plans pointing out
Republican ranks are not completely
united as to what should be done.
WHATS THE UsE7"
While the spirit of flight the presi-
Gent" is strong in some Republicans,
others today wore what's the use"
expression, due, they said, to what
they termed their party's surrender
on the Victory loan bill, regarded as
the only measure failure which might
mean an extra session.
Failure of Republicans to unite in a
determined filibuster against the pres
ioent was regarded by some as throw
Ing away the fruits of the victory
fained at the polls last November. The
senate today had before 1t the defi-
cheney bill providing $750,000.000 for
the railroads and about $26,000,000 for
miscellaneous purposes. Democratic
leaders expected this bill to pass, but
admitted today it is the only one of
the remaining supply bills which they
are at all hopeful about
The legislative situation Is full OF
possibilities, observers pointed out,
and inasmuch as the deficiency bill
is not generally expected to occupy
nearly all the day and a half which
remains, II was predicted in some
quarters that administration leaders
night decide to force an issue with
Republicans on all the bills.
FILi6UsTER POSSIBLE.
In that event, il Republicans carry
out the threats they made Sunday
when they yielded on the Victory loan
bill, they will filibuster. Many of them
have views on the league of nations
which they have so far refrained from
expressing. Senator Sherman of mr.
nots has already announced he will
devote several hours to discussing 1t.
tcontinued on Page Two.