Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-01-14
TUESDAY ...... JANUARY IA, 1911!
EXTRA SESSION or CONGRESS.

Between now and March there
will be much political maneuvering at
Washington--the democrats in con-
grcss working to prevent the calling
of the new congress in eXtrat session.
the republicans striving to make such
call inevitable
Washington dispatches say the DEM
ocrats are doing their utmost to get
the big appropriation bills out Of the
way before the final passage of the
revenue bill, while the republicans
are said to be planning the delay of
one of the supply measures so as TO
throw 1t over into an extra session
There should be no question of the
summoning in extra session of the
congress elected in November If
congress We're democratic in both
houses there would be no question;
but as the republicans have control,
the administration plan appears to he
to ward off its gathering for organi-
cation and work until next December
il possible--more than a year after it's
election.
1t is an anomaly that az delay Of
thirteen months in carrying out the
popular mandate ensues under the
constitution, unless the president calls
an extra session. The new congress
should be summoned on the fourth of
March, regardless of politics, so that
it can Immediately organize and set
out upon consideration of the great
pending questions The growing COM
pleXity Of government has induced
all recent presidents to issue the extra
session call
There is the railroad question. Just
before sailing for Europe the pres-
dent addressed congress on that sub
.ect in the following words:
The question which causes the
greatest concern IS the question of the
policy to be adopted toward the rail
roads. | frankly turn to you for
counsel upon it. ] have no confident
judgment of my own. ! do not see
how any thoughtful man can have
who knows anything of the complex
ity of the problem 1t is a problem
which must be studied. studied inn
mediately and studied without bias or
prejudice. Nothing can be gained by
becoming partisans of any particular
plan of settlement
This frank admission of the presi- |
dent that he had no confident judg- |
ment was SO unexpected that 1t at
once gave standing to the railroad
question. Why waste eight of the
twenty-one months in which the fate !
of the railroads must be decided?
Some sort of provision for taking
care of the anomalous labor condi- |
tons of the United States must be |
made. or this country will pay dearly
for the delay Secretary Lane asks
appropriation of 100000. 900 for an !
indefinite scheme for the settlement
land. That is all the country has be-
fore it on that subject.
There is the seizure of the cables, |
after war was over. for what actual
pui BpSt ViliS a. lSN hHOW
they will not tell. 1t was the highest |
handed usurpation that ever has oc-
CURED. in America. Congress must
take some sort of action. The cables |
will not be permitted to remain in the |
hands of Burleson for long. under ex-
cuse of n war necessity
The future Of the army organization
is to be determined, along with the !
related question of military training.
Why hold the matter in mld-air until
congress can act after next Decem-
Der?
Before many months tho rewriting |
of the tariff laws will be demanded |
by capital and labor alike. That even
President Wilson would consent to
have the country, in the new condi-1
tons, attempt to adjust itself to the
Underwood law, is unthinkable.
If the extra session was indispensa-
BILE in times Of peace, it is doubly so
now.