The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-12-29

,r-be army was reorganized. Eff H ,orts' to amend the yolstead prohibi- |f Ion reinforcement legislation were e 'eated on several occasions. Ad- iftiona1 provision was made for dls ! \ ,bIed veterans of the World war T The House passed bill providing Tor
 ,dfusted compensation for all vet
 srans of the World war. Legislation
 rassed through both houses and was
 yetoeds by the President which woulo
 have provided budget system lor
 operating the government.
 peace and the passing of the war ne-
 cesstty for the operation Of the ra.io
 roads by the government tne nus
 and Senate took up the question or
 drafting a transportation act wnlcn
 was planned to provide for pror'aole
 future operation O. the railroads ana
 10 protect the interests of the pupnc
 hy more strict supervision of the rail
 load financial accounts.
 Transportation Act
 The transportation act whic-
 finally, returned the roads to theA ' private owners. provided that rates
 should be fixed which would proV1oe
 ar-earning of per cent. on the yalu-
 alton of the road property and for
 the return of portion or the earn 1ings of the roads above 1-1 per Fceht. to the government as an assur-
 apoe against the possibility of unjust profits. The transportation act also provid- ed that all security issues of roads
 should be issued only with the ap-
 proyaI of the Interstate Commerce
 Commission It continued the pay
 ment of the wartime guarantee to the
 roads for six months after they were
 refeased from government control 10
 permit the Interstate Commerce
 commission to adjust rates to present
 conditions. Practically all of the
 provisions of the transportation act
 CSur Merchant Marine
 In considering the Merchant Ma
 rfne act the House hurriedly passed
 measure which was practically
 tabled when it reached the Senate; e;
 providing for an enlarged Shipping board. increased salaries for the members of the board. for the opera ffon of the merchant fleet constructed during the war by the government l until sales might be arranged to private operators. and for the hqui- datfon of the affairs of the Elmer gency Fleet corporation Esq., ! EIJnder the new act, which was I pressed early in the spring, the Pres ident in November, announced the appointment of the new board The board has organized and has had several meetings to determine it's pol icy. Vessels built during the war must be sold only to American pur- 3chasers unless at least i've members .of the board approve sale to for 4eign purchaser and certify that IL was impossible to sell the vessel or l vessels in question to an American I The object of the Merchant Marine act was to create an American fleet Sof merchant ships as permanent in cBtitution.
 Pass Water Power Bill B For many years efforts of western
 members of the House and Senate to
 have adopted legislation providing
 for the development of the water of hn States IVY were made useless by the votes of the conservationists in both cham IN bers. At the last session. during the INE closing days of the deliberations the x water power bill, providing for the construction of water power projects under government license and regu- | lation was passed.
 lE The bill was not signed by the President before the end of the ses | k sion and was believed to have diet without the action of the White House. Easing his action on tho < opinion of the attorney-general, th' \ President signed the bill later and i q became a law. The Water Powel N commission is considering large mum bers of applications for water powe E permits and inquiries as to the opera tiop of the law.
 |E Stormy Time Over Treaty fE The treaty had a rough path in thu Senate during the passing year. .,1 | N T Senate Foreign Relations commit N tee and then returned to the floor t. S meet a similar fate. The documen k. was returned to the President an' ' remains in his hands, rejected. Tn n first rejection of the treaty occurre' l4a before the close of the legislativ v session in 1919.
 The army was reorganiZed by ac ~ of Congress during the year. Tn N size of the permanent army was in : "a creased far above the pre-war figures VI Efforts to provide for a peace tim
 
 |N prohibition Activities |% By ruling of Speaker Gfl1ett of tn N House, it was made possible durin M the year to repeal the Volstead pro l Al hibition enforcement act at any tim % there is enough votes in the Hous N to carry such motion. The ruin f of the speaker will make 1t possfbl M for the House to add a rider. to an E appropriation bill carrying an apprt & priation for prohibition enforceme1 N which would repeal the measure q far as the action of the House S needed. This obviates the necessft 1 E of protracted hearings by committe' s if enough votes can be mustered ; any time to pass & the riaer, Nr.,,.. E During the closing days of the yes | iE the question of most vital important l N to Congress is the present curtai q luent of credit and the tightness
 M the money market throughout u ] "A United States. Plans for the re-cre
 ton of the War Finance corporate Y have been perfected. The sena 1 has adopted a resolution which,
 | passed by the House and signed
 z the President, would have that c | q feet.
 t Means by which the farmers mig 1 < dispose of the years crop to forei, A nations are also under considerable l q Import enbargoes on foodstuHs, which there is a surplus in this cou
 try. have been proposed. Only O 3 other question of importance Is c Y T cupying the time of the congressio T al leaders. That is the formation % tax and tariff program to be fl q lowed after the inauguration l F President-elect Harding.
 Hearings will be held througho January by the House Ways a
 THE GOV EkNNiEN'i l