The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1921-03-18


WARDWELL & THOMPSON Pubs.
- -: : :. I
WASHINGTON NEWS LETTER.
Exclusive to the Pioneer Expressly
With the Inauguration over and a
new president in the White House,
all seems quite as usual in the Ma
tional Capitol once more. The Six
ty-sixth Congress died at twelve,
noon, on the 4th, and many retiring
members and others have already
left the city. Several Of the more
important committees, including the
Ways and Means, are in session how
ever, and new congressman are ar
irving at the Capitol to be in readi-
ness to enter the vacated Offices,
prior to the convening of the new
Congress in the special session to be
called by SPresident Harding early
in April.
Outwardly few changes have. TAX
en- place since Harding took the oath
of Office on the Capitol steps. How
ever, on the day following the In
augural ceremonies, flags about the
city and over. the government build
ings are at half mast: in honor Of
Champ Clark, the Democratic leader,
whose body is lying in state on the
floor of the House of Representative
es, where the great Missourian SER
we'd his state and nation for twenty
six years. The former speaker died
three days before the expiration of
his term, having failed of reelection
to the House as result of the Re
publican landslide. At the White
House, too, a change was noticeable
for the iron gates were open and un-
guarded for the first time since the
war and crowds thronged the White
House lawn. Otherwise there was
little apparent change in life about
the headquarters of officialdom and,
save for an undercurrent of specula-
tion as to probable appointments,
little to talk about.
Fourteen new senator's, including
Ladd of North Dakota, and Norbeck
Of South Dakota, took their oath of
office under Vice-President Coolidge.
Three newly elected senators were
already in their seats, having been
appointed to fill vacancies; Hefin Of
Alabama, whose predecessor, Bank
head, died in office; Gooding of Idaho
who succeeded John F. Nugent, who
resigned following his defeat in Mo-
vember; and Frank B. Willis Of Ohio,
who took President Harding's seat
following the latter's resignation.
The seventeen new senators elected
in November included thirteen Re-
publicans and four Democrats.
Senator A. j. Gronna, North Da-
kota's retiring senator, was elected
to the United States Senate in Jan
uary, 1911, after having served three
terms in the House of Representa-
tives. He was reelected to the Sen
ate November 8, 1914.
Senator Gronna, as chairman Of
the Committee on Agriculture, and a
member of the Appropriations and
other important committees, had
arisen to position of prominence in
the Senate and to the last was a
tireless champion of the farming in
dustry and the interests of the COM
mon people. In the recent short
session he was largely responsible
for the passage of the War Finance
resolution that re-established the
War Finance Corporation, saw his
bill to regulate the, packing industry
through the Senate, and, in the clo-
sing days of the session, secured the
passage of his bill appropriating
funds for the relief Of drought
stricken farmers of the Northwest.
The House passed the amendment
to the Agriculture bill appropriating
funds for the relief Of farmers in the
drought-areas in North Dakota and
Montana, after reducing the amount
authorized from Sc, ZOO, 900 to $4,000
900. This change was made upon
the motion of Anderson Of Minne-
sofa, after South Dakota congress-
men had stated that their state was
not in need Of relief funds.
The amendment for the purchase
of seed grain provoked considerable
opposition and in the debate that
preceded the adoption Of the Senate
amendment the Nonpartisan League
administration in North Dakota
came in for considerable panning.
Royal Johnson, South Dakota, al