Each member
tried to out-do the others. The two chambers and the corridors
rang with zealousness in the interest of "our armed forces"
getting the ballot. Those not running this Fall and the hold-over
Senators were less voluble, but in the House, where everybody had
to run this Fall, or else stay out, the rafters went off center
from 7 to 9 inches. I haven't seen such valiant patriotism in a
legislative body since the last war, when I was in it and up for
re-election. I don't remember my conduct, but I expect it was
pretty patriotic. I do remember I introduced a resolution in the
House commending Wilson and the Congress for breaking off
relations with Germany, so I evidently had my lightning rod up
pretty high. . .
People generally had a fear about this Special Session, and were
afraid it would hang and hang on amidst fervent patriotic
speeches and many, many glowing accounts of the heroism of "our
armed forces," and not adjourn sine die, maybe for the full 40
days. . .
The Session was remarkably free of drunkenness and wild parties--
some of course, but not the usual amount. . . Thursday evening we
had a private dinner in the "English Room" of the Claypool for
quite a number of railroad executives who were in the city,
partly on account of the Session.
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