Imperial Valley press., 1919-03-06
PROBLEM OF NEW
CONGRESS THAT OF
RECONSTRUCTION

Washington, March 6.-The Sixty
fifth or great war Congress passed
into history today with final taps of
the gravel by Vice-President Mar
shall and Speaker Clark at noon.
Failure. Of scores of important bills
gave promise of early convening for
reconstruction legislation of the new
Congress in extraordinary session, in
which control passes from the DEM
oeratic party to the Republican.
Unusual scenes of confusion in the
final lush to complete its work ac
companied the closing hours of Con-
gress, in which President Wilson,
]ust back from France in his room
eff the Senate chamber, hastily sign
ed many last-monlent measures.
Stupendous was the record Of the
Congress, which carried the nation
INTO ana through the war which had
been in almost continuous session
since it was called by President Will
son into extraordinary session April
!, 1917, to declare war against Ger
many 1t appropriated about $780,
900, 100000, authorized $25 100000
coo IN bonds, and enacted countless
measures for prosecuting the war and
Of domestic import. The new Con
gress will take up the limitless task
Of reconstruction problems, ratlfica-
tion of the peace treaty and other
vital questions, probably Immediately
after the return of President Wilson
from his second visit to France.
Special features Of the SlXty-fifth
Congress were many addresses by
President Wilson, including those rec
ornmending war with Germany and
Austria, that of January 8, 1917, en-
unciating his famous fourteen prin-
ciples of peace, and those endorsing
woman suffrage, announcing the
armistice terms imposed upon Ger
many last November, and his recent
address detailing accomplishments of
his work at Paris.
These were three sessions of the
Congress. The first, extra session
met April 2, 1917, following shortly
after the turbulent and successful
Senate filibuster on the administra-
tion armed ship bill which marked the
close OF the SiXty-iourth Congress.
The dromatic night address of Presi-
dent Wilson to urge war with Ger
many, which was promptly declared,
marked the opening of the extra ses-
sion, called but a few weeks after
the presidents inauguration for a
second term. The session closed Oc-
tober 6, 1917, lasting 1873 days. The
second session lasting 354 days and
The longest in the history of Ameri-
can govelnment-began December 3,
g917, and adjourned November 21,
last, and was the statutory short
session of 93 days.
Substantial Democratic maiorities
in both Senate and House since Presi-
dent Wilson'S Inauguration six years
ago now have passed, In the new
Congress, the Senate will have 49
Republicans and AZ Democrats and
the House 238 Republicans and 1893
Democrats, one Socialist, two lnde-
pendents and one PrOhibitionist.
MANY veterans in both houses re-
tired with today's adjournment. In
the Senate, these included Senators
Salisbury, Of Delaware, president pro
tempore; Lewis, of Illinois; Hollis, of
New Hampshire; and Vardaman, of
Mississippi; Goff, of West Virginia;
Smith, of Michigan; and Weeks, of
Massachusetts. Among prominent
representatives whose services ended,
were Miss jeanette Rankin, of Mon
tana, the first woman elected to the
House; Meyer London, of New York,
Socialist; Swager Sherley, of KEN
lucky, chairman of the appropriations
committee; Hayes, of California;
Heating, of Colorado; Powers, of
Kentucky; Foster, of Illinois; Cox,
Barnhart and Dixon, of Indiana; Mil
ler, of Minnesota; Borland, of Mis-
souria; Parker, of New Jersey; Cor
don, OF Ohio; Farr, of Pennsylvania;
O'shaunessy, of Rhode Island; Slay-