Evening journal., 1919-04-10
congress CALL
EXPECTED MAY 5
Democrats Believe This
Date Has Been Selected
by President Wilson
REPUBLICANS THINK
LATER DATE LIKELY

MASlilNh ION, April 1U-lnc new
Congress VIII DC called TO meet May 3.
This is The belief expressed by Demo-
cratic leaders OF both the Senate and
House OF Representatives.
While the Republican leaders who
will direct affairs in the new Congress
have received no intimation OF when
President Wilson will call Congress
I intO> session. the leaders OF minority
party in the two houses are advising
their colleagues TO be ready for the
session 10 start. May 3.
The lack OF any program TO meet
the industrial and economic problems
OF the period Of transition from war
TO peace, the necessity for the early
passage OF appropriation bills held up
by the last Congress and the nation
wide demand for legislation for the
disposal Of the shipping, railroad and
wire facilities have caused admlnstra-
ton leaders in the new Congress TO
place before the President the pressing
necessity for the early convening of the
nations legislative body.
The Pres dent, they expect, Will Is
sue the call OF the Congress within ten
days. probably soon after the arrival
Of the George Washington at Brest,
whittier il was summoned by Presi-
dent Wilson, apparently in preparation
for an early departure TO the United
States.
The Republican leaders, however,
are OF the opinion that no call VIII be
issued until aftt. the President arrives
in Washington, and they believe that
he will not ask Congress TO meet until
May - or May 10. They are prepared
for the session, they declared today,
when it is called.
The new Congress faces a gigantic
program OF legislation and problems.
Any one OF three phases OF work con-
fronting it would keep a Congress busy
for many months.
The seven appropriation bills carry
ing a total OF $500 10000 for the up
keep OF governmental departments dur
ing the next fiscal year starting July
4. which failed Of passage through the
Republican flibuster In the senate dur
ing the closing days Of the last Con-
gress, viii take precedence over all
other legislation that will come before
the new Congress. These bills must be
finally passed before July 4, or most Of
the departments OF the federal govern
ment will be without funds with which
to operate. Included among them are
the army and naval programs of the
United States.
The Republicans will discard the
bills which were drafted in the last
Congress and write their own. appro-
priation measures. This will require
several weeks before the bills can be
reported TO the House and Senate for
passage, as the Republicans have an
nounoed their intention OF convincing
themselves OF the necessity for the ex-
penditures before they viii grant the
appropriations.
Wholesale Investigations Of the ad-
ministration's conduct Of the war and
IFS expenditure Of the si7,OO0,OOOOOO
which the war cost The American peO-
pie Will follow the passage Of the ap-
preparation bills. The inquiries viii eX-
tend from the War and Navy Depart
ments down 10 the smallest Of the gov
ernments war activities. The Repub-
lican leaders declared yesterday that
they inten0 20 hold the administration
to a strict accounting for every expen-
diture II made during the war.
While the investigations are going on
the railroad, shipping and wire-control
problems Will be tackled. An early end
TO the federal governments control and
operation OF the wire systems is on the
program Of the next Congress.
The railroad and shipping problems
will require many months for solution,
in the opinion Of the Republican con
gressiOnal leaders. The public hearings
on the disposition Of the railroads,
which were started during The closing
weeks Of the last Congress viii be con-
tinued in the new Congress before the
program for returning them TO private
ownership is finally mapped out
The problem Of disposing Of the great
fleet Of merchant vessels built and ac-
quired by the United states Government
during the war is one OF the biggest
which the new Congress viii be called
upon 10 solve. Congress must deter
mine whether the ships are 10 be sold
to private interests or operated by the
government whether the 'shipbuilding
program is to be completed and wheth-
er the shipyards built during the war
are to be scrapped or continued in oper-
alton.