Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-03-18
Washington Officials Bring
Pressure to Bear on
President Wilson.
ALL DEPARTMENTS
CRY FOR MONEY
Wilson May Summon Congress Early
in May-Republieans Favor Earlier
Date-Return Of Wilson May De Pos.
sble by Middle Of ApriI-Sserstary
Glass Presents Facts Showing Urs
snt Need OF Making Appropriations.

Washington. March iS.-An extra
session OF congress before June is
believed to be a certainty 10y many
government officials and members OF
congress. altho their predictions are
without the support of evidence TO
show that President Wilson has
changed his determination not TO sum
mon congress before his return from
France.
Cabinet officers are known to believe
that the session will begin in May,
some expecting the date TO be about
the middle of the month, with others
suggesting an earlier date, probably
May ). AS far as known none OF the
cabinet members has specifically rec
commended any date to the president,
but Secretary Glass is understood TO
have presented certain facts in regard
TO the governments financial situation.
from which the president may make
his own deductions.
Republicans Want Earlier Date.
Members of congress remaining in
Washington, particularly the republi-
cans, hope that the session will be
called two months before the end OF
the current fiscal year, next June 80. SO
ample opportunity will be given for
considering appropriation bills that
lied at the last congress.
Republican Leader Lodge, OF the
senate. has sent letters to all republi-
n rornrl
their address of May 10 with his office,
but this was said to be without signifi-
canoe.
White House officials said today tina
if reports from Paris that the peace
treaty might be completed next week
proved accurate. President Wilson
might return home by the middle OF
April No information regarding the
probable date OF the approval OF the
treaty has been received at the White
House.
Quartermaster 10 Broke"
The latest signals OF financial dis
tress to go up are from the quarter
master corps OF .he army. The quar-
termaster general has reported that he
is completely out Of funds for the
transportation Oh tTOOpS anu puiSh'tse
OF subsistence.
For this extraordinary situation the
responsibility appears TO rest not so
much upon congress or upon the three
musketeers' who filibustered the de-
ficiency bills to defeat in the senate
as upon the administration of Secre-
tary of War Baker.
Ample appropriations had been made
by congress for the maintenance Of the
army. Then along in January the ad-
ministration began to call attention to
the great economies 1t was effecting
not only by canccling contracts for
munitions. but by turning back to the
treasury billions Of dollars in unex-
pended appropriations. The war de-
partment turned back approximately
s3,055. 900 900 in actual cash. which It
stated was not needed now that the
disbanded.
Find Error Too Late.
The president on Feb. 20 signed the
bill under which this sum was restor-
ed to the treasury and the appropri
ations thereof revoked.
A couple of days later the war de-
partment discovered that It had turned
back too much money. The quarter
master general, who had relinquished
about $4,000, 900. 900 OF the entire
amount restored to the treasury. sud
denly discovered that he needed l82s.-
100000 for the transportation Of
troops and for subsistence. 1t WAS
explained that later information from
DA. 10 tb.,, .
army in Europe had indicated mis-
calculation had been mad..
On the eve OF the adjournment OF
congress the war department asked
for the amount required by the quar-
termaster corps, but it was too late, as
the legislation to which the amend
ment could have been attached was
being swamped by the fliibuster.
Blow to SSldier Dependents.
The auartermaster general Is doing
the best he can to make contracts for
subsistence and obtain transportatl tlon
OF troops on credit.
Unless congress Is called into ses-
sion In May. the dependents of sol =
diers and sailors will experience even
greater delay than at present in the re
ceipts of their allowances. 'Ths neccs-
sity for funds for the support OF the
war risk bureau. which handles the al
lowances. Is rapidly becoming acute.
Secretary Glass is endeavoring tn
scrape up enough money TO run the
bureau undiminished until May Is, ny
which time 1t will be necessary to
reduce the pay roll to fraction Of its
present extent unless congress is In
session and prepared to make an ap-
preparation.