Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-09
Much Left Undone
Continued from Page one)


bills but spent most of the day quar-
relling over the reclamation legisla-
ton, which had been attached by
the Senate to the deficiency bill. The
principal feature of the administra-
TONS reclamation plan finally were
accepted, but other changes were
made to which the Senate would not
agree.
Among the mourners over the un-
usually painful demise of the ses-
sion was the Senate Daugherty COM
mittee, whose plans to- resume ses-
sions in midsummer went awry be-
cause Chairman Brookhart failed to
obtain opportunity to call up an au-
thorizing resolution drafted for that
purpose.
Coolidge Mt Capitol
An hour before the final fall OF
the gavels on the presiding officers
desks in Senate and House. Presi-
dent Coolidge went to his room in
the Capitol, to affix his signature to
last-minute legislation. He signed a
number of bills and received there
the Senate and House committees
appointed to formally notify him of
the adjournment.
After 1t had disposed OF the def
cheney bill and its reclamation rider,
the House twiddled it's thumbs dur
ing the last half hour of the session,
but in the Senate partisan strife con-
tributed its dramatic note until the
very end.
Senator Walsh tried early in the
day to secure action on the oil re-
port, but Senator Spencer. Rep, Mis-
souri,, objected to a vote until he
had opportunity to state at length
his objections to 1t. Despite Demo-
cratic charges of a filibuster, he
talked for more than two hours, and
when he had finished. Senator Nor
beck. Rep, South Dakota, obtained
the floor to make a fight for farm
relief. -.,
No sooner had the South Dakota
senator moved to attach a wheat en-
port bounty provision to a pending
House bill, however, than Senator
Smoot, Rep, Utah, launched into a
speech of more than half hour on
the financial record of the admins
tration. That aroused a debate
which continued until the deficiency
bill. with the reclamation provisions
as amended in the House, came up
under privileged status.
The item whose elimination, arous-
ed Senator Pittman was the appro-
priation Of 100000 for the project
at Spanish Springs, New. Gaining
recognition a half hour before the
time set for adjournment he an
nounced that the bill never would
become a law until this item was
reinserted.
Disorder in Chamber
Several others, including some OF
his best friends on the Democratic
side, pleaded with him in vain to
withdraw his objection and take his
seat. The tension in the chamber in
creased as the hands of the vener-
able Senate clocks slowly approach
ed the dead line, and disorder be.
came so pronounced that Democrat
ic Leader Robinson suggested the
sergeant at arms "be Instructed to
restore and maintain order"
With only minute left Senator
Reed, Democratic, Missouri, then
moved that the emergency resolution
passed Ave minutes before by the
House be adopted. but Senators
Borah and King Immediately de-
manded to be heard. While they
dent Cummins announced that the
Senate had adjourned.
The House, however, failed to go
through with its program to adjourn
at o'clock. Five minutes before that
hour was reached Representative
Longworth, the Republican leader.
proposed 15-minute recess. The
hands Of the clock opposite the
speakers dias were turned back.
but when word of the Senate adj
journment was received the House
followed suit.
= Say Can Go Ahead =
Although Chairman Warren of the
Senate appropriations committee in
sisted that authority to make the
necessary expenditures to put the
bonus into operation could only be
provided by special session of
Congress-, other leaders Of the Senate
and House did not agree with him.
The partially enacted statue Of the
deficiency bill caused some senator's
to contend that the federal bureau
to which appropriation would have
gone we're justified in proceeding
with the expenditure Of funds, and
then reporting a deficiency to the
next Congress.
1t was Senator King who also
blocked the navy departments bill
for cruisers and battleship improve :
ments. It had been passed by both
House and Senate, but the Utah sen.
ator had a motion to reconsider pend
ing and he served notice Just at the
tail end Of the session that IL an at
tempt were made to take It up he
would require at least four hours to
present his objections.
-