Woodrow Wilson to Oscar Wilder Underwood

Last week you called upon me and, in view of the very natural desire of the members of the House of Representatives to know why it seemed necessary to keep them continuously in Washington and when they might expect to be free to go home, if only for a brief interval of adjournment, asked me what I thought the prospects were with regard to the banking and currency bill in the Senate. As I then promised you, I have had conferences with members of the Senate Committee on Banking and Currency, both Democrats and Republicans. As a result of those conferences, I feel confident that a report on the bill may be expected not later than the first week in November. Most of the members of the committee with whom I have conferred have shown themselves keenly aware of the disadvantage to the country of any unnecessary delay. I believe that the action of the Senate upon the bill will follow within two or, at the most, three weeks after the report is made. I do not believe that there will be any attempt to delay its passage by dilatory tactics. Senators on both sides realize that the business of the country awaits this legislation, impatient of being kept in suspense, and display a most public spirited desire to dispose of it promptly. The passage of the bill is assured.
In these circumstances, I should like to confer with you, as you so kindly suggested, as to the action the House should take while awaiting the result.