The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-12-08
OPENING SESSIONS
Of CONGRESS BRIEF
ONLY ROUTINE MATTERS CON-
SIDERED-MORE THAN THREE
HUNDRED NEW BILLS RE-
cEIVED IN HOUSE DEALING
WITH VARIED SUBJECTS
WOULD EXEMPT BONDS.

WdSIlllLS IoiiJ oSS' -
reconvened today with the custo-
mary brief and routine opening ses-
sions which were attended by great
crowds and marked by an address,
in the senate by President-elect
Harding as a unique and historic
feature. Senator Harding took his
seat, answered his name when the
senate roll was called and made a
brief address from the rostrum.
Other features of the opening Of
the third and final session of the
Sixty-sixth congress were receipt OF
annual appropriation estimates ag-
,gregating s4,e53, 100000 and intro
ductoin in the house of an unusual
volume of new bills and resolutions.
Senators held up their bills until
tomorrow in accordance with the
custom of limiting the Arst day to
formal convocation.
The principal business of today's
sessions was to arrange for receipt
tomorrow of President Wilson's
opening message. A joint committee
called upon the president at the
White House and the latter receiv-
ing them in the Blue room told them
he would have communication"
tomorrow. He did not state whether
he would send or read his message,
but it was understood that the form
er course would be pursued.
To Start at Noon
The senate was in session Is min
-utes and the house, Notwithstanding
its longer roll call, only twice as
long. New members elected last
November to fill vacancies were
sworn in and adjournment taken
until oon, tomorrow, when both
bodies plan, after receiving the
presidents message, to proceed to
work.
AS usual the senate session pro-
ceeded with dignified calm and the
house with boisterous confusion.
The latter's roll call was taken amid
a bedlam of feliicitations of return
ing members and conversation of
members and spectators.
Galleries of both bodies were
jammed and thousands of persons
stood in the halls to catch glimpses
and sounds of the proceeding with
in. About the capitol, conferences
of party leaders, cafe dinner parties
and surging crowds in the corridors
furnished other opening session at
mosphere.
The program for tomorrow's| in
auguration of actual work called for
debate in the senate on the bill for
federal regulation of the meat in
dustry and for the launching of inn
migration restriction legislation in
the house. The house immigration
committee bill prohibiting immigra-
tion for two years was reported out
today and the rules committee TO-
morrow will consider a rule for its
immediate consideration under limi-
tation of debate.
New Bill Come In
More than $50 new bills and reso-
lutions were dropped in the hopper
today and a flood of similar propo-
sitions is expected tomorrow in the
senate. The new house measures
dealt with almost every conceivable
subject, including proposals for re-
peal of war laws, for appropriations
of millions of dollars for a myriad
of purposes, pensions and many
measures for farmers relief.
Committees of both senate and
house are to begin work immediate.
ly on the measures left on their cal.
endars from preceding sessions and
on the new grist. Calls for numer-
out committee meetings this week
were issued by chairman today, but
leaders said that the regular appro'
priation bills would have the right
of way. They added that it was
hoped to pass all Of the appropria-
x.-. LII, h,fora Morch h,1t that