Evening star., 1921-02-13
The Senate.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

After being sidetracked for
week the Fordney emergency
tariff bill. designed to raise wall
of protection about the American
farmer is to have the right OF way
in the Senate again tomorrow.
-ote on the bill is expected within
.he next few days. 1t is foregone
conclusion that the bill will re-
ceive sufficient number of votes
20 pass. Then it will go to confer
ence, and the Senate amendments.
including the tariff on sugar-if it
is retained in the bill-win be
thrashed out. Although the time is
growing short. the bill may reach
President Wilson in time for his
approval or disapproval. 1t is pre-
dicted he will veto the measure.
A raft of appropriation bills
still remain TO be acted upon by
the Senate. In the last week the
Senate has passed the sundry civil
appropriation bill, the pension ap-
preparation bill and the Indian ap-
preparation bill, and has partly
completed the legislative. execu-
tive and judicial appropriation bill.
The fight over the s240 bonus pro-
vision for the government en-
ployes in the legislative bill. which
occupied the attention of the Sem
ate yesterday, will be carried to
finish this week. with the odds in
favor of the employees receiving the
bonus.
The post office appropriation bill,
the agricultural appropriation bill
and the diplomatic and consular
appropriation bill are all awaiting
their turn in the Senate. The rivers
and harbors bill also will be ready
for the senators when 1t can be
reached.
A battle royal is promised over
the naval appropriation bill, due
to the controversy which has
continuing the battleship building
program. Senator Borah Of Idaho
and other senators believe that
this program should be halted for
a period of six months to deter
mine. in the light of the lessons Of
the great war, what makes for the
most efficient Navy. The conten-
tion has been made that the heav-
lily armored battleship is merely
costly without being an effective
weapon in this day of submarine
and airplane. The naval bill, it is
said. may fail to pass in the limit.
ed time remaining to the present
session and be forced over until
the new Congress meets. Other big
appropriation bills to come are the
Army bill. the general deficiency
bill. the fortifications bill and the
Military Academy bill. The repub-
lican leaders plan to do all in their
power to speed up these measures
as soon as the tariff bill is out of
the way.
There is another important meas
ure knocking at the door, how
ever, the immigration bill, and
strenuous efforts will be made by
Its supporters to obtain considera-
tion for it soon. The Senate i'm
migration committee last week re-
ported the bill. limiting immigra-
tion to per cent of the various
nationalities already in this coun-
try-a substitute for the House bill
snspending for a year immigra-
ton. The House bill will be offered
as substitute for the Senate COM
mittee bill. however. when the
- "a eu up III tne senate.
The soldiers bonus bill may be
reported to the Senate from the
finance committee this week.
The Senate is expected to take I'D
the conference report on the Dis
trfct appropriation bill as soon as
the House has had an opportunity
to act upon it. There appears to be
little or no opportunity for Dis
trict legislation beyond this ap-
propriation in the remaining days
OF the session, though an effort
Will be made to deal with the
France and Jones bills. looking to
street car mergers in the District.
Charges that a combination exists
among Washington coal dealers to
hx prices were made before the
committee on manufactures. They
may lead to prosecution, it is said.