The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-12-04
FIGHT ON RULES
IS HOUSE ISSUE
Speakers Appointive Power
Will Also Be At
tackled.
INSURGENTS PLAN
TO FORCE ISSUE
Action May Be Taken at Short SeS-
sion Closing Sixty-First
Congress

Fighting against the rules OF the
House, and against the power Of ap-
pointing the committees now reposed II
the Speaker, is destined to become the
one great issue OF the lower branch OF
Congress. either at the short session,
which closes the Sixty-first Congress, Or
al the beginning Of the first session OF
the Sixty-secOnd. when tho Democrats
viii be in control Of the House Plans
are already being made by Republican
Insurgents TO force the issue at the short
session, and Democrats are preparing
themselves for the rules fight with ten
fative drafts OF resolutions looking 70 a
lfScitarion OF the powers OF the speaker
Representative George ". Norris Of
Nebraska, one Of the foremost insur-
gents In the House. and the man who
deprived Speaker Cannon Of his MEM
bership on the Committee on Rules, and
who made that committee elective ana
who forced the election Of the House
members OF the Ballinger-Pinchot 1nyes-
rfgating committee, has prepared a reSo-
luton the purpose of which is TO elm
mate the Speaker in the appointment OF
committees and placing that power IN
the hands of the House
Power Back To the House.
While his resolution is revolutionary,
insurSent members Of the House who
have seen II are of the opinion that Il
comes nearer to restoring 20 the House
its original power over committees than
any plan which has yet been suggested
il is claimed for the Norris resolution
that IL viii make membership on all OF
the standing committees representative
of the entire country and that the Rules
Committee, now elected by the House,
will be more responsive 10 the viii Of
the House than ever before
Mr. Norris, in his resolution divides
the standing committees Of the House
into two classes The first class shall
Means. Interstate and Foreign Com
meTce: Rules. Appropriations. Naval
Affairs, Military Affairs, POstOffices and
Post Roads Public Buildings and
Grounds, Foreign Affairs, Judiciary,
Banking and Currency, Rivers and HaT-
bOrS, Public Lands, Merchant Marine
and Fisheries. AgTiCulturc, Indian Az
fairs, District Of Columbia, InsulaT At
fairs. Election Of President and Vice
President and Representative in Con-
Eress-
All Others Second Class.
The resolution provides that all other
standing committees and all joint stand
ing committees shall be committees Of
the second class
All standing committees OF the first
class shall consist Of eighteen mem
bers and shall be selected as follows:
The States Of the Union shall be d.
vided by a committee Of three, elected
BY the House for that purpose, into ten
groups each group containing as nearly
as may be an equal number Of members
belonging to the majority party The
States OF the Union shall likewise be
divided into eight groups, each contain
Der OF the members OF the minority
party or parties
AT 10 o'clock on the day following the
adoption OF the report Of the committee
-
for in the Norris resolution shall meet
and select one Of its number for q men,
Der Of each of the standing committees
Of the first class Each Of the groups
shall report TO the House the names of
the members selected for membership
OF each Of the standing committees OF
the first class No member shall be
eligible Tor membership on more than
one standing committee and the Speak
er Is barred from membership on all
standing committees The resolution
also provides that the committee on
rules shall appoint all committees OF
the second class and all joint stand
ing committees Vacancies on commit
tees shall be filed in the same manner
as original appointments
Would Prevent Rolling.
In support Of the Norris resolution it
Is pointed out that its adoption would
make impossible the mUch-talksd-of log
rolling, which has been so much feared
N connection with a committee on com
mittees by reason OF the fact that the
groups which are selected to elect mem
beTs TO committees are made Up Of
members OF the House in strict accord
ance with their geographical location
and also because the members Of the
standing committees also would be rep
resentative OF every section Of the COun-
try
Il is pointed out, for instance. that Z
committee on committees consisting OF
fifteen members could appoint TO the
Rivers and HarbOrs Committee a ma
iority Of members representing district!
interested in rivers and harbOrs improve
resolution. and because Of its geOgraph-
zeal appOrtionment. inland States in NJ
wise interested in Ti-ers and harboTs
will be automatically given representa-,
ton On that committee
The same would be true Of the Nava
Committee, o. the Public Buildings AM
Grounds Committee and OF severa
others on which membership is Derticu-
larry desirable in order that members
may look after the special interests o
constituents
Mr.. Norris claims for his resolution
I'm other words. that on al matters o
legislation referred to the importan
committees Of the House, representa-
tiyes OF every section of the cOuntT
viii pass judgment upon 1t before
can emerge from the committee TOOT
with a favorable report.
Garner Has a Plan
One of the most significant incident
IN connection with the rules controvers
within the Democratic party is the ar
nouncement Of Representative John \
Garner, OF Texas. that ne viii insist o.
the appointing Of a committee on CON
rnittees Nj Garner is Democratic viii
in the House. to which office be was ap
pointed by Champ Clark, and by reasoi
Of holding that office he is Of necessit
close TO the minority leader.
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