Newark post., 1921-08-03
WHAT THE PRESENT
SESSION OF CON-
CRESS HAS DONE
SINCE APRIL II
Appropriations and Disarm-
ament Plans the Chief
Subjects of Legislation

both houses of the Sixty-seventh Con-
gress since it met on April 18th OF
this year. Forty-eight bills have been
passed by both houses and are now
laws. A number of the latter are
upon matters Of vitally great import
ance to the country, and several OF
them have significance for the world
at large.
Peace and Disarmament
The legislative measure which is
undoubtedly of greatest import to the
United States and to the world is the
Borah amendment to the Naval APP
preparation Bill. This amendment
authorized and instructed the Presi-
dent to invite the governments OF
Great Britain and Japan to a confer
ence, for the purpose of reaching an
agreement upon the amount OF re-
duction in naval expenditure and pro-
grams during the next five years. Ihs
literal form of this amendment was
unsatisfactory as an expression OF the
sentiment of the administration and
of the public. The evident intention
of President Harding to obey the
spirit of the law in the broadest sense
secured it's passage much earlier than
if time had been taken to perfect the
law. AS a result of this law Presl-
dent Harding has called the Confer
ence on Disarmament, of the Prln-
cipal Allied and Associated Powers,
Great Britain, Japan, France and
Italy, and has included the problems
of the Pacific and the Far East.
China is to be represented on the
latter subject and the smaller Euro
pean and South American nations are
to be heard.
This step is directed toward the
peace of the world and toward eco
nomic rehabilitation through the re-
duction of taxation and the release OF
man power for industry and COM
merce from the support of prepara-
tions for war.
The Peace Resolution, though given
more prominence in the press than
the Borah amendment, was OF IN
finitely less Importance. 1t was but
the formal recognition OF state Oh
peace which already existed prac-
tically between this country and the
Central Powers, Germany and Aus
tria Hungary.
Arny and Navy Appropriations
Related practically to the subject
of disarmament are the Federal ap-
nropriation bills for the Army and
NAVY. The Army bill which was re-
Gently passed, called Tor reduction
Of the Army to 100000 men and
carried an appropriation Of sl5,ooo'-
600 less than the bill passed by tne
last Congress and vetoed by Presl-
dant Wilson. The Navy appropriation
hill is $4,000 900 less than similar
hill, considered by the last Congress-
Considerable dissatisfaction has been
EXPRESSED over the drastic cutting u
the latter appropriation, on the score
that items essential to. the success OF
any naval program, however smaii'
have been completely eliminated.
SDecial and Emergency FINANCE
An outstanding measure OF a con-
structive nature is the law providing
a budget system for all expenditures
of the government. A budget system
does not of itself reduce the total ex-
penditures of the government. 1t is
merely a system by which the money
appropriated or to be Appropriated Is
estimated and spent A good budget
law, properly and fully administered
makes the peoples money go turther'
and assures economy and efficiency IN
the expenditure of the money appro-
priated for any and all SPECIFIC de-
partments. 1t provides Congress WIN
the information necessary to make an
accurate appropriation. -,
A bill has also been passed proVlo-
ing for the deposit of an additional
sum of S25 100000 to the credit OF
the farm loan board for use OF the
Federal Land Banks. A deficiency
appropriation bill for 1921 and ap'
preparations for the expenses OF this
session of Congress have been passed
General Legislation
Among the bills which have become
laws since April 18th are those carry
ing the following provisions: Restric'
tion and limitation of immigration
an emergency tariff on agricultural
products for the protection OF farm.
ers; ratifying the establishment OF
the boundary line between Pennsyi-
van;a and Delaware; enabling the