Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-12
HOUSE ALL STIRRED UP
s -.11-ricect, OF sI~pLIFIED SPELL
ING AGAIN DISCUSSED.

Representative Crumpacker of Indiana
started rumpus in the House this after
mon by making a point of order against
the paragraph in the legislative. executive
and judicial appropriation bill directing the
public printer to stick to the old style
spelling in turning out public documents.
The committee members on the floor evil
IDENTIFY had not expected such a jolt. but
they rallied their forces and attacked
Representative Crumpacker, front, flank
and rear.
They pointed out the vast sums of money
it would cost to print public documents
two ways-one way for the President and
another way for Congress They spoke or
chaos and confusion that would result II
their divided proposition were followed.
they talked of the ridiculous position the
government would occupy and they appeal
ed to Mr. Crumpacker to stand with his
colleagues and resent this new form OF
executive usurpation.
Mr.. Crumpacker reserved his point of or
der in order that he might get the full
benefit of all the arguments. but the blast
of hot air that came his way must have
made him wish he had turned the damper
down.
Mr. Tawney, chairman of the appropria-
tons committee, took up the expense end
and told of the investigation the committee
had made. which showed very plainly that
it would cost a great deal of money in
printing and proof reading to let both the
II
waite brands of photography. He mention
ed too. that the government would look
silly to the people of this country and every
other country ii II permitted such a policy
this to last.
Representative Sullivan of Massachusetts,
appealed to Mr.. Crumpacker to get together
with everybody e'se and prevent the Presi-
dent from establishing court languag e
for his new American empire
IF the President has a right to change
these 300 words, said Mr.. Sullivan. he has
a right TO change more and more until We
may well have a new language. The old
method certainly good enough before
the reign of the present President and 1
think the majority of the members of the
House think it is good enough now.
Representative Lacey of Iowa and other
members of the House spoke in the same
vein.
But Mr.. Crumpacker remained unmoved.
He thought 1t was unwise to legisate on
matter of spelling and he gave his reasons
for this belief.
Discussing Point of Order.
Discussion of the point of order was I'M
dertaken by half dozen members at once,
most of them attempting to express the
view-which seemed to be held all over the
chamber-that the committee in inserting
the provision directing the public printer to
stick to established standards of spelling
had not, in effect. made a change in exist
Ing law, but had merely embodied in the
measured direction as to how the existing
law should be carried out by the public
printer.
This was the view taken by Representa-
tive Grosvenor OF Ohio, who insisted that
the English language is the law of the
people of the United States, and that al
though ii was not written in the statutes,
ii i1delibly written on the pages of
American history, and that the man who
would seek to change the language in Off
cal documents must first change existing
law.
He was sure that If provision to print
all documents in German had been put in
the bill, ii would go out mighty quick a
point of order, and for that reason he held
that the committee provision which merely
directed the public printer to take heed to
the old standard did not constitute any
change whatever in existing law. 1t was a
mere direction to the public printer a mere
instruction to that official to guide him in
his work.
Mr.. Crumpacker suggested to Gen. Gros-
venor that the provision mentioned certain
standard dictionaries. and suggested that
this was not the English language, which
he held was established by usage by the
foremost literary of the country, but
merely compilation of such usage.
Whom do you mean by the foremost
literary men?" asked Gen. Grosvenor: this
new-fanged spell ing board?'
'Oh. no. replied Mr.. Crumpacker. 81
George Washington
Washington never could SPELL" cried
Gen. Grosvenor. amid general laughter
Discussion Of the point of order was
continued in the most lively fashion on
both sides of the chamber. Representative
DeArmond of Missouri being the princi-
pal democrat to defend the President s
action and to assail the attitude of the
committee. The discussion was going
ahead with great vigor when The Stars
report closed.
House Votes to Adjourn December 20.
The House today adopted the concurrent
resolution to adjourn for the Christmas
holidays on December 20. to reconvene
January 3.