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Show CONGRESS IS READY FORWARMEASURES SPIRIT OF CONFIDENCE PERVADES PER-VADES MEMBERSHIP AT THE OPENING SESSSION. Leaders Predict That Legislation Will Be Confined Largely to War Measures, Meas-ures, But First Few Weeks Will Be Open to General Legislation. Washington. Congress Is ready to 1al;o up again lis part In Hie prosecution prosecu-tion of the wiir. The second session of the Sixty-fifth congress began lit noon on December 'A, with brief routine sessions marked by the receipt, of appropriation estimates esti-mates for next year's war and ordinary ordi-nary expenses, aggregating .flli.oUO,-0(10,(100. .flli.oUO,-0(10,(100. A spirit of conlidence apparently pervades congress. Iieliirning members mem-bers exchanged views, with declarations declara-tions of Increased determinal ion to lend every aid In the vigorous conduct of the war. The leaders predicted that legislation would be confined largely to war measures. Senator Martin, Mar-tin, Democratic leader in the senate, said there would be little time for oilier than war problems, and Itepre-senlallve Itepre-senlallve Kitchen, the house floor leader, lead-er, announced that he was disposed to favor the plan. The underslanding, however, is that the first few weeks of 1lie session will lie open to general legislation. leg-islation. A war-time aspect was given Monday's Mon-day's session by the presence of many uniformed men among spectators in the crowded galleries, and of women busily plying knitting needles during the opening ceremonies. Senate proceedings were unusually brief. After adoption of routine resolutions, reso-lutions, the senate adjourned out of respect: to the late Senator Hasting of Wisconsin. The house remained in session until the joint committee appointed ap-pointed to notify President Wilson of the return of congress reported, and then passed the resolution for a joint session on Tuesday to hear the president's presi-dent's annual address. The usual crop of bills, resolutions and petitions was received in the house, including a resolution by Representative Rep-resentative Martin of Louisiana proposing pro-posing congressional investigation of the sugar shortage. Representative John K. Fitzgerald of Brooklyn, N. Y., chairman of the important house appropriations committee, com-mittee, prominent Democratic leader, and a member of congress of eighteen years' standing, announced his intention inten-tion to resign, effective December 31, to resume the practice of law. Estimates of more than $13,100,000,-000 $13,100,000,-000 the greatest in the nation's history his-tory for the conduct of the government govern-ment and prosecution of the war during dur-ing the fiscal year 191S were submitted to congress Monday by the treasury department. In round figures more Inan $11,000,-000,000 $11,000,-000,000 of that vast sum is for the war alone. Only part of it will he realized real-ized from taxation; the remainder will come from issues of Liberty bonds. |