Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-03-17
Democratic Senators Pre-
dict President Will
Call Extra Session
CLEAN UP THINGS
Campaign Program of
Administration Calls
For Action - Republi-
cans Want Change

Washington, March 17.--Predic-
ton that President Harding will
call an extra session early next
fall, probably in October, so as
to make it easier to get Congress
out of the way in the campaign
wear of 1924, is maze here by GER
tain Democratic Senators.
These Democratic prognostica-
tors figure that the Administra-
ton will not want Congress in
session while the campaign is on
in the fall of 1924, and by call
ing an extra session this fall the
President may avoid a lot of talk
and political embarrassment next
year.
Unless the new Congress gets
started on its tasks earlier than
December, they say, the first reg
ular session may run until cleo
ton day next year.
So far no Republican support of
an extra session in October has
come into the open, although Sen
ator Jones and other Republican
leaders have suggested that the
President convene the Senate in
extra session next fall, so that it
may rvisce its rules and in the
future prevent filibusters such as
killed the Ship Subsidy bill.
Reports from Florida, where the
President now is on vacation, are
that the President is giving ser
ious consideration to the Jones
proposal, but is not committed to
the idea,
A number of Democrats, how
ever, have wkat they call a ''hunch
that the entire Congress will be
brought back late in September or
early October, after, the summer
vacations are over and the wea-
thel has turned cool.
They claim this 'hunch" is
based not only no a common
sense survey of the situation but
on things they have heard whisp-
cred around ir Administration cir
cles.
quite a few of us have a
hunch," said one of the Democratic
Senators today, ''that Congress wi
will be back here about October.
The Republican Administration
does not want Congress in ses-
sion and the pages Of the Con-
gressional Record open during
the 1924 campaign. Should Con
gress Sit all through the SUM-
rmer and fall of 1924 it could only
make trouble for the Adminostra-
ton. The Presidential campaign
would be fought not only on the
stump but on the floors of Con
gress and the Record and news
papers would be filled with ac-
counts of political debates.
The Administration may get
around this prospective embarras-
sment by starting Congress at its
work before December this year.
BY calling Congress in extra
session about September the
President would gain two or three
months time, which could be lOp-
ped off the end Of the regular ses-
sion in 1924. This would make
final adjournment Of the regular
session possible about the time
the national conventions are held
and before the Presidential cam
paign gets under way. -
at would be a wise thing poll
tically for the President to call
an extra session this fall. There
is much work to do, and the ex-
CQSe VIII Nv luSlc. uC L iCSluGllt
has little, if an! thing TO gain by
having Congress on his hands in
| the autumn of Presidential
campaign year. The sooner he
can get his critics away from the
seat of government and political
publicity the better it will be
| for Mr.. Harding. Republican Sen
ators are keeping mum on the
subject, but from what we've pick
ed up here and there a number
of Democrats are rather conf
dent that Congress will be call
ed back here before next Decem-
sber." 50
The Senate now has a .clotute
rdfe, but It requires a two-third
vote 10 stop debate. Few mea,
isures can muster "a twe-thirds
vote, particularly Important Inea-
s,itas Conseouentiy. ithe croture