The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-02-25
Various Commissions Gre.
ated By President Would
Have No Funds.
PARSONS OBJECTS
TO TAWNEY MOTION
Author Wants 1t Incorporated in
SundrieS Appropriation Bill
Now Before House.

The various commissions and
boards OF referees, which have been
created by President Roosevelt, and
which have not been authorized by
Congress, will go out of business for
lack of funds If an order, brought
into the House today by Chairman
Tawney. of the Appropriation Com
nittee, is incorporated IN the sundries
appropriation bill. now under con-
sideration in the House.
The order provides that no part OF
public money in the Treasury shall
he used for the payment of any
board or commission for compensa-
tion or expenses or for any other
purpose unless the boards are COM
missioned or authorized by law. The
order also prohibits the employment
or detail of any employees Of the EX-
ecutiVe or other Governmental de-
psrtments to perform any work for
the unauthorized boar dor commits
sion.
Tawney's Motion.
hfT. Tawney asked that the order be
accepted by the House in order that it
might be offered as an amendment, and
as a separate part Of the sundries civil
appropriation bill. Mr.. Parsons of New
York objected. whereupon Mr.. Tawney
moved that the order be adopted under
suspension OF the rule. and this was
done by a vote Of 40 to 60
Mr.. Parsons attempted 10 get a yea
and nay vote, but only sixteen members
Of the House were with him, not a suf-
ficient number to order the vote.
In explanation OF the order. Chairman
Tawney SAID that he did not have in
mind the referee board OF the Agricul-
ture Department. He said that it had
appeared, however, from hearings held
ny the agricultural and other commit
tees, that there are number cf COM
missions now working under the au-
thOrity of the Executive Department
alone, and without the authority Of Con
gress.
Falls to Clerks.
Mr.. Tawnev said he had discovered
that employees in various departments
had been put 70 work 20 tsbulate and
perfect the data gathered by these COM
missions. Il had recently come to this
notice that a carload of answers TO
queries sent broadcast by the Cplift
Commission, had been dumped into the
Census Bureau for tabulaticn by clerks
employed for other purposes. He said
also that the publication OF the report
CT the home commission had entailed
considerable work on Government
clerks
Tn my opinion" said Mr.. Tawney.
this report never should have been
published" Mr.. Tawney did not 20
into detail to his objection 20 the re
port Of the home commission. but IL
Is known that many members OF the
Mouse that had the publication been
sent through the mails by private con
Germ. II would have been barred in very
short order, because Of the alleged on
sene matter contained in r.
MI Parsons Views.
ton NJ. Tavney's order was directed
az the commission cf fine arts. re-
Gently created by President Roosevelt
and other commission OF experts APP
pointed for the purpose Of gathering
Information.
Mr. Tawney, in reply. said that the
order was not directed al any particular
board, but it vas for the purpose Of
preventing the dumping or data into
Government departments for cCmpila-
ton BY commissions which have no legal
existence.
fact that the incorporation of the order
'r the bill would prevent a continuation
~ the work of the National Conserva-
ton Congress.
Mr. Tawnay replied that he would
discuss TIE merits OF that case IN the
debate which would follow later iu the
DAY. Mr.. Parsons insisted on knowing
what effect the order would have on
the National Conservation Commission
Tawney's Reply.
Mr.. Tawney rctorted by asking what
right the commission had 20 demand the
time. services. and money OF govern
mental departments and to dump great
quantities Of work on them. Nj Par
sons replied that they did not demand
time, service, and money. but Mr. Taw-
nav insisted that whether they demand
ed IL or not they received II. and his
a r-rlr fr- ~r
\ continue ton Of the uracticc.
The order viii be fought again later
In the day. when d. viii be offered a s.
an amendment 10 tho bill but because
of the manner in which 10 was brought
before the House this morning it win
not be subject - a point OF order