The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-03-06
BRIEF RESUME OF
CEREMONIALS AT THE
HARDING INAUGURAL

ate and house near the end Of the |
war. after President Wilson had APP I.
pealed to the country in 1918 to re- |
turn a Democratic majority to con-
gress. the Republicans organized all
committees at the opening session in
1919 and Immediately launched an at
tack on the administration, This CEN
tered around the Treaty of Versailles,
which was taken up in senate before
il was signed at Paris.
Other acts of the administration
which came in for criticism included
the sending of troops to Russia, the
handling of deportation cases and the
winding up of war contracts. Investi
cations of many phases of war activi-
ties also We're undertaken ana con-
tinued through most Of the nearly two
years Of the life of this. the first
Republican congress in eight years.
Four vetoes of important measures
by the President also We're overriden
by the sixty sixth congress. the
measures repassed after their dsap-
proval by Mr.. Wilson included the pro-
hibition enforcement act and joint
resolutions reducing the size OF the
regular army to l75,O men repeating
the daylight savings law and reviving
the War Finance Corporation. In the
case OF one important matter, the
Knox resolution to declare the state
Of war with Germany at an end, the
presidential veto stood.
Besides the war inquiries many 9th
ers were conducted including those
into the 1919 steel strike, the spread
Of radical propaganda, the coal and
housing situations. the controversy
between Secretary Daniels and Rear
Admiral Sims over naval medal
rewards, campaign expenditures, ship
ping board operations. the Ford-New-
berry election, radical deportation cases
and the escape to Germany of Grover
Cleveland Bergdoll. Philadelphia draft
evader.
international disarmament was a
subject occupying much attention at
the closing session, inquiries being
conducted 10y both house and senate
committees. Final action was deferred
ana the whole question left over to
the Harding administration. The SEN
ate naval committee recommended,
however that there be no halting of
American naval construction at this
time.
Important measures passed by the
Sixty-siXth congress besides the pro-
hbition enforcement law. the suffrage
amendment. and the resolution to re-
vive the War Finance Corporation in
cluded:
The Transportation Act.
The Sedge bin for foreign finance
corporations.
The oil and gas leasing laws
The army reorganization act.
The waterpower development bill.
a bill abolshing the United States
Housing Corporations.
In addition the usual annual sup
ply measures We're put through and
preliminary ground work was laid
by the house OF ways and means
committee FOR revising both the tariff
and tax laws
There were three sessions OF the
Sixty-sixth congress. The first. an
extraordinary one called by Presi-
dent Wilson by cable from Paris
after failure of some uf the big ap-
preparation measures in the preceding
congress. met on May 10, 1919. and
continued just six months. to Nov.
10. The second session. a regular one.
began on December !. 1919 and con-
tinued To June 8. 1920. ending just
before the national political conyen.
jions. The third and fual session
began last December g. Including the
sessions during the war and earlier.
congress has been sitting virtually In
continuous session for a decade
Tho Versailles treaty was the great
hone Of contention during both the
first and second session. II was twice
defeated, first ON Nov. 49, 1919, and
again on March 49, 1919. when, by a
vote of a. TO 81, 70 was returned
to President Wilson The Knox reso-
luton TO end the state ~ war with
Germany then was adopted and, on
May @, 1920 killed by presidential
veto.
The treaty debate began MNv 2S
1919. four days after the new con.
gress convened. The treaty was rc'
ported To- the senate, with the Lodge
reservations, Sept. 4. 1919, and tn,
senat cloture rule adopted, for IN,
first time since 'tS existence, On Nov
10. During he treaty f.gh, Prcsi
dent Wilson made u tour OF tn
country, bcgicnm- sept @, 1919
which ended with his Ihne,s, sept 2s
Al the second session bipartisan
conferences OF senate leaders failed e
bring an agreement on reservation
and with debate renewed In Febru
airy. 1920. the final vote on ratification
March ~ was az to 3j. less than th,
two-thirds majority. The national pres
idential conventions and the popula
solemn referendum" followed No ef
fort was made to obtain action on tn
treaty during the session which ende'
today.
The first session was signalized b.
efforts to deal with the high cost o
living. At that session also congres
conferred the permanent rank Of gen
eral upon General Pershing, but ha
declined TO pass bills giving Majo
General March. chief of staff, an
Crowder former provost marshal ger
rral. the rank Of lieutenant generals
Bills to give permanent rank ot admin
al to Rear Admirals Benson and Sim
also failed.
Also during the first session. vietc
Berger. the Wisconsin socialist. WI
unscated by the house and, during N
second session, he again was denied
seat after his reelection at n speciI
election.
At the second session the house pas
,,i bills TO provide a bonus for WI