The sun., 1919-03-05

was pending In the Senate House reso-
luton providing for the payment of sal
aries and allowances to members OF
Congress for the time spent in their
services to the country In the fighting
abroad. To this there had been added
an amendment by Senator Gore (Okla.)
to direct the rehabilitation of all drafted
soldiers in the United States within a
period of thirty days.
Minor Matters Lost.
Among the measures affecting foreign
Affairs and not including the League OF
Nations plan were the resolution con-
tanning an expression on Irish free
dom, the Colombian treaty. involving
100000: several commercial con-
ventione and a resolution touching on
the Russian policy of the Government
In addition. however. the naval ap-
preparation bill carrying ss24,70s, 900
and embodying the building programme
which the Republicans refused to stom-
ach Is dead The army appropriation
bill carrying 31,23s, 7s2,oOO died auto
matically at noon too, as did the agi-
cultural appropriation measure and the
sundry civil bill, which carried items
summing up sS51.171.000. The District
OF Columbia appropriation bill also
failed.
The Congress just ended broke all
legislative records of the world despite
the mass Of big appropriation bills un-
enacted at its close and thousands of
smaller bills which never had a chance
Of passage. 1t was the only Congress
which ever made two declarations Of
war-the first on Germany on April 6,
1917, the second on Austria Hungary on
December 7 of the same year.
Called together on April 2, 1917, to
declare war the Congress quickly did
this and then started to transform the
United States into great Power at war
instead of one without an army, an I'M
dermanned and insufficient navy and no
merchant marine. The Congress had to
provide not only the means OF raising
and training an army but OF putting that
trained army in Europe and feeding and
supplying II while not failing to take
care in material way OF the hard
pressed countries fighting against the
Germans. To build the ships II was
even necessary to build the means OF
building the ships
Had Many Problems.
1t was necessary well to provide for
adequate transportation of supplies and
foodstuffs from the interior to the sea-
board While these things were being
| rushed the American Government by
authority Of Congress had not only to
provide for most extraordinary fnanc-
ing system but loan money to its allies
as well. All of these things were done.
An enormous tax law was created
to raise n part OF the money to defray
the expenses OF this tremendous war
rogra mme and this the Congress did
In addition the issuance OF bonds
amounting to the stupendous figure Of
s22 1000, 900, 900 was authorized
While in the past a Congress making
appropriations amounting to 81 200. oOO,-
900 was looked upon as n marvel OF
extravaganza the Congress just dead
passed one bill alone the army an
preparation bill, carrying s12. 900. 600, 900,
and passed 1t without any opposition.
In all the apr opriations Of the Sixty
fifth Congress amounted TO some s57,-
900. 900, 900.
The Congress in its remarkable ac-
tivity in addition to these and many
other war measures conducted more
than n score of investigations closely
connected with the war. such as the
investigation of the Shipping Board and
of the aircraft situation, TO bring about
the lack OF efficiency and correct glar-
ing mistakes and prevent their repeti-
tons, While all OF this was going on
the Congress found time to enact nearly
800 public laws.
End Not Spectacular.