Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-23
BELIEF OF THE LEADERS
Opinion Expressed That Only Four
Matters Will Be Taken Up.
MAY NOT NAME COMMITTEE
Importance of Citizens Making
Appeal to Democrats in
House Pointed Out.

the District of Columbia at the coming
extra session of Congress depends upon
the attitude of the democratic caucus OF
the House which will meet April i to
determine upon a program. Democratic
leaders now in Washington are inclined
to the belief that there will be no gen.
eral legislation at the coming session.
and that, therefore, District legislation
will go over until next December and the
regular session. They admit, however,
that the caucus may decide otherwise
and determine to entetr upon legislation
for the District.
An opinion was expressed today to
the effect that legislation would be
confined in the extra session to four
matters, reciprocity with Canada, re-
vision of the tariff. the reapportion-
ment of the House according to the
thirteenth census and the direct cleo
ton of senator's If this be true, and
It comes from a source which makes
it appear certain. the District is doomed
to wait for eight or nine months be-
fore it can hope for action on pro-
posed legislation of the utmost i'm
portance to Washington.
Working on Assignments.
The democratic members Of the ways
and means committee are working daily
over assignments to the various standing
committees. They will be ready when the
caucus meets to name the majority MEM
bers of the committees, it is said by men,
bers of the committee. Along with the
other committees they will name the
members of the District committee. 1t is
pointed out however, that snouid tue
caucus decide against general Ieglsiation
| it might also decide against the lmmeoi-
nd inf nf standing
lcommittees other than those needed 10
pass upon the limited legislation on the
program. If that should be the case
there would be no District committee, ana
it would be impossible for the District 10
get any matters considered, even In COM
mittee.
| Citizens of the District will work, there
fore to have the District committee
| named, even il they find it impossible Tor
| them to get Congress to consider District
legislation at the extra session. For with
| the District committee organized, It Will
| be possible, they believe, to get matters
| in shape for early action at the next reg
| ular session of Congress-.
The democratic leaders, and, In fact
| the democrats as whole, in the house
are not averse to giving the District
such legislation as 1t may need. They
are by no means opposed to considering
District legislation at the extra session,
provided the caucus decides not to limit
| the legislation to the four matters NELL
! toned. II the District committee is ap-
pointed and there is general legislation,
| the District will have its day and obtain
consideration of it's affairs along with
other business said one of the leaders
| today.
Needs Aggressive Chairman.
what the District needs" said this
same democrat, 'is a strong, alert, ag-
gressive chairman Of the District COM
! mittee, a man who will look out for the
interests OF the District of Columbia.
Members Of Congress are not opposed to
enacting. legislation for the District, but
every member has his own district to
look out for. There are always num-
ber of matters which he must get be-
fore the House if he can, and IL he finds
that by sidetracking the District affairs
he can get his bills acted on 1t is only
natural that he should take the oppor-
tunity.
But with man at the head OF the
District committee who refuses to al
low District matters to be pushed
aside the District will get Its fair
share of attention. 1 firmly believe
| that the District will get better atten-
tion during the sixty-second Congress
than it did in the last"
If the citizens of the District desire to
have legislation regarding their aHairs at
the extra session, 1t Is necessary that
of the democratic caucus, it was pointed
out today. The Federation of Citizens
Associations already has taken active
steps to interest the democrats in the
matter, but there is still much to be
done before the District can feel sure
/ that legislation for the District will be
Included in the program decided upon by
the new majority of the House.
The officers of the federation are max
ing their appeals to have bills considered
to which there was practically no oppo-
sition in the last House, but which failed
merely because they were not considered.
They argue that such legislation will take
little of the time of the House, and could
very we'll be taken up while the Senate
was considering the proposed reciprocity
treaty and the tariff bill. In the Senate
the District committee already is formed
and ready to begin work at any time, so
there need be little delay on that side of
the Capitol if District matters are brought
up in the extra session.