Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-27

President Roosevelt, who took over
the Office of Chief Executive after the
assassination of Mckinley, called NO
special sessions of Congress. He did
not undertake to revamp the tariff. and
he fought number of memorable bat
ties with the legislators on Capitol Hill
1t remained for his successor, President
Taft, to deal again with the tariff. He
called Congress together March Is
1909, few days after he had been in
ahgurated. This session was given over
principally to the passage of the Payne
Aldrich tariff act, law which aroused
no little criticism and was. in part, re-
sponsible for the Democratic uprising
and the Republican split in 1912. Presi-
dent Wilson was elected in that year,
and under the mandate of the people
the Democratic President called Con-
gress into special session April Z, 1918.
1t was then that the Simmons Under
wood tariff act. called tariff for rev.
enue only, with incidental protection,
was put through by the Democrats and
approved by President Wilson.
MIR. Taft Called Two.
President Taft called two special
sessions of Congress during his four
year term. The second, on April 4
1911, was convened to deal with the
proposed Canadian reciprocity which
failed finally, to materialize.
During the eight years that President
Wilson was Chief Executive. Congress
was in session the greater part of the
time. First to deal with the tariff, the
currency system and the antitrust
laws, and then with the problems grow
ing out of the World War. which this
country entered in 1917. Americas en-
try into the war came during special
session of the Sixty-fifth Congress, be-
ginning April 2 That session ran un-
til october 6. 1917. The next regular
session of Congress ran from December
3, 1917, until November 81, 1918. 10
days after the armistice had been
signed. The regular short session OF
Congress followed Filibusters by Re-
publicans during that session prevented
the passage of several of the big annual
supply bills for the succeeding fiscal
year. and President Wilson called spe-
cial session of the Sixty-siXth Congress,
beginning May 10. 1919.
What Wilson Congress Did.
President Wilson was then on his
mission to Europe to establish peace.
He. sent his message to Congress. call
ing attention to the problems OF peace
which must be handled promptly, in
Guiding legislation to reduce the war
taxes which were being levied to meet
the necessities of the country at war.
This special session of Congress put
through. with other things, the reso-
luton proposing an amendment to the
Constitution giving women the vote.
Also the Senate dealt with the peace
treaty which President Wilson brought
back with him from Europe. declining
to ratify it. The session ended Novem-
Der 10, 1919.
The next special session of Congress
began on April II, 1921, called by Presi-
dent Harding. Again tariff was an
ISSUE There was a demand FOR a re-
turn to the Republican protective sys-
tenn, and the Fordney- McCumber law
was passed, the law which is still in
effect, and which 1t is proposed to
revise In the special session which
Mr.. Hoover is expected to call this
Spring. The special session not only
dealt with the tariff but with the reve-
nue. laws and with other postwar prob
lens.
President Harding had near to his
heart the establishment of a permanent
American merchant marine. He became
convinced that definite aid should be
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