Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-06
House Looks for Red-Hot Re-
port From Committee.
IDENTIFIED, YET PEPPERY
Led to Expect Real Action by APP
parent Harmony Of Members.
ANGER GAINING MOMENTUM
Not Decided Whether to Table, Ex-
punge or Return Objectionable
Secret Service References.

There is every indication that the re-
port of the Perkins special committee.
charged with the duty of considering the
Presidents two secret service messages.
will be a real report, full of verbal ginger
and rock salt and cayenne pepper and
ornamented with harsh though dignified
words
In the language of the academicians of
the House it will be "a properly framed
protest against the unjustifed criticisms
so wantonly uttered by the executive
In the language of other members of
the House, the report will be "a red-hot
rip-snorter."
There Is probably middle ground of
expression which will properly describe the
complexion of the report of the Perkins
committee. If the statements of several
| me bers of the special committee made
| today can be believed-and all have eX-
| cellent reputations-the report will in
deed be worthy of the name of re
| buke'
Committee Near Harmony.
The committee, republicans and demo-
Gratis, is in a state of near-harmony, far
| different from the condition that pre-
vailed when it was considering the Pres
| ident's first secret service utterance, con-
| tanned in his annual message to Congress
just before the holidays. Then II was
much divided In sentiment.
| One member wanted to do this; another,
that; still another, something else. Con-
sequently it did nothing much Of any
thing. winding up by merely requesting
the President in perfectly courteous fash
| ion to turn loose any information in his
possession tending to show that members
of Congress weren't desirable citizens.
| According to the general view at the
House end of the Capitol. the President
didn't make good and didn't turn loose
anything of the nature that was asked
for or that would tend to sustain his
charge that the chosen of the people were
afraid of being chased by government
sleuths.
Guiding that the House is mad clear
| through and will not stand for shllly-
| shally foolishness, or language too re-
fined and recherche. has about made up
its mind as to what sort of document
it will submit as a result of its delibera-
| tons.
Possible Recommendations.
i One thing has not yet been decided by
the special committee, the republican
members of which held an informal con-
ference this morning-that is, with refer
ence to just what action will be recon-
mended But it is thought that this i'm
portant matter will be agreed upon at thi!
afternoons meeting of all the member:
of the special committee, which began a
2 o'clock.
There are three courses the committee
may recommend First, that the portion
Of the Presidents original message re
ferring to the secret service, together will
| his more recent document in response Il
the resolution of inquiry. lie on the table
Second that it be eXpunged from the rec
ord: third that it be returned to thu
President as unsatisfactory, objection
able or what not.
tic. There isn't much to choose between
the other two methods Of procedure. II
effect, though the mildest rebuke alonl
this line would be the decision to table.
Certainly, feeling in the House agains
the President on this secret service propo
sition hasn't been modified to any exten
through the elapsed time since the lates
message was read. On the contrary,
has waxed warmer and more intense
One member who was labeled by tn
President and who was mentioned in Tn
Star yesterday as having prepared
reply to be delivered when the Perkin
committee makes its report. told re
porter for The Star today that he wa
glad of the delay.
Gathering Ideas With Time.
Not an hour passes said he, blu
that / think of something new 1 want t.
say when get the chance. The lonGe
the delay the better 1 shall be prepared.
There seems to be a disposition among
those members who consider themselve
in the second class of undesirables, &C
cording to the presidential classification
to permit Representative Tawney, tn
latest involuntary recruit to the Anania
Club. to be first to make his little speech
He will probably be followed by Rep
lresentative Walter Smith of Iowa, VIII
considers the President made some unjus
tilted insinuations about him. Then tn
rest of the labeled bunch. and perhap
a few who weren't labeled by name, viii
trail along.
There will not be any arguments base'
on a personal grievance. Oh, dear, no
Oh, a thousand times no. Messrs. Taw
ney and Smith and all the rest of then
make this plain.
| Personally they are not offended. OF
ficially they are outraged.
| In view of all this the Perkins spe
cial committee is being asked to brin,
in some sort of a report on which Their
can be plenty of debate. so that all thes
, members who want to put the Presi
dent on the griddle may have all TIL
chance they may desire.
| The air under the dome is already thicl
and sulphurous. 1t will take a thunde
fresh and breathable again