CONGRESS: The Legislative Week Jan. 26, 1925

The Senate:

¶ Passed the first deficiency bill for 1925, carrying $159,000,000 of which $150,000,000 was for tax refunds. After the bill went into a joint conference over minor amendments by the Senate, the Senate again approved it in compromise form. (Went to the House for approval.)

¶ Debated a treaty, negotiated in 1903 by Secretary of State John Hay, whereby the title of Cuba to the Isle of Pines would be confirmed. Although every administration has approved the treaty, it has lain in the Senate for over 20 years. Senator Borah, Republican, and Senator Ralston, Democrat, opposed it. Senator Swanson, Democrat, endorsed it. No action.

¶ Debated, amended and finally passed the Muscle Shoals Bill, after spectacularly reversing itself in the course of 24 hours. (Went to the House.) (See Page 5.)

¶ Passed a bill to reimburse one Robert Laird of Pennsylvania for burial expenses to the amount of $113 incurred by him when the War Department sent him the body of an unknown person in place of that of his son killed in France. (Went to the House.)

¶ Swore in Hiram Bingham, new Senator from Connecticut, and assigned him to the military and Post Office Committees.

The House:

¶ Passed a Rivers and Harbors Bill, carrying $39,000,000 for improvements. (Went to the Senate.)

¶ Passed a Senate bill providing that executions in the District of Columbia be by electrocution instead of by hanging. (Went to the President.)

¶ Passed the McFadden bill which would give National Banks the right to establish branches in states where other banks now have that privilege. (Went to Senate.) (See BUSINESS.)

¶ Adopted the conference report of the first deficiency bill carrying $159,000,000. (Went to the President.)

¶ Passed a bill extending the life of the World War Debt Funding Commission for two years more. (Went to the President.)

¶ Heard Representative Charles Manley Stedman of North Carolina, last surviving Confederate veteran in the House, deliver a eulogy of Robert E. Lee (on the anniversary of the General’s birthday) at the close of which General Isaac R. Sherwood of Ohio, last surviving Union veteran in the House, rose and clasped the other’s hand.