Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-12
CONGRESS HAS SIX
WEEKS TO WORK
Session Half Gone and Only
Two Annual Supply
Bills Passed.
EXTRA SESSION LIKELY

When the Senate and House assemble
tomorrow practically one-hah Of the
present session OF Congress. which ends
March 5 by law, viii have been COM
pleted. THIS question which presents
itseM = :'csn coaeress In the month
and a half trsmaining of the session az
complain the necessary work. or must
there be an extra ssssi6n M ~
during the coming spring and sunlmer?"
So far only two Of the great annual
supply bills OF the government have
been passed by the HOUSE. None have
yet passed the Senate The war revenue
bin Is still In conference and must be
PASSED unless the government Is to lose
much needed revenue during the present
year. The supply bills and the revenue
bill must be passed. Should any OF
the supply bills fail Of enactment it
would be necessary to eau nexta ses-
sion prior to July !. In any event. in
order that the government might have
the money required to continue its
operations after the beginning OF the
next fiscal year.
Most OF the democrats do not de-
sire an extra session. The republi-
cans will be in control OF the new
Congress. The democrats are exerting
every effort to speed up the consid-
Grafton of the bills which must be
passed. The republicans. on the 9TH
er hand, believe that an extra session
Of Congress should be called. that Con-
gress is needed here to settle the prob
lens Of reconstruction which are now
fading the country, particularly the
question Of what is to be done with
the railroads.
However, the republicans are not
ready to say that they will obstruct
the passage Of the supply bills in or
der to force a special session. Those
that will express an opinion say that
they prefer to let the democratic ad-
ministration bear the blame for the
failure Of Congress to handle the re-
construction legislation needed. IL no
extra session is to be held to consid-
er It.
1t is well understood that the repub-
licans can bring about an extra session
If they delay the appropriation bills, and
this without any manifest fiibuster on
their part. There are republicans, how
ever, who feel that 1t would be q politi-
cal blunder, SO far as the republican
party is concerned, as well as unfor-
tunate for the country as q whole, il
there should be no special session Of
Congress.
Rail Problem Pressing.
Tho railroad problem is perhaps the
most pressing, particularly in view
Of the statement OF the President that
he Will consider 1t his duty to return
the roads to their old owners at an
early date II Congress does not legis-
late in regard to them soon: But there
are other problems equally pressing.
including those relating to labor and
the adoption Of a program which viii
forestail hard times" such as visit
ed this country in 1893 and. 1894.
That Congress should adjourn and
not return to Washington until. next
winter, leaving all these matters to
be settled then. 10 considered by many
Of the legislators to be an unfortu-
nate situation which should be. avoid
ed.
There has been no indicat fon' yet as
ready for ratification. II the Senate
is not in session when the treaty does
make its appearance the President is
expected to call it in session immedi-
ately. It would not be necessary to
call Congress, for only the Senate
deals with treaties.
The democrats fear that should an
extra session Of Congress be called
the republicans would Immediately
institute series OF Investigations
into all kinds Of questions dealing
the expenditures Of public moneys.
and that this material would be de-
veloped for use in the 1920 CAMPAIGN.