The Washington herald., 1911-01-30
DEMOCRATIC CHAOS
DUE In DECEMBER
Committee AppOin tments
Will Bring on Troubles.
ARBITRARY POWER IS BEST
Champ Clark and Other Thoughtful
Members of House Doubt Wisdom
EreSxiOnal PrOcedure-Feuds of Va
rious Sorts Already in Existence.

Champ Clark. of Missouri. Speaker-to-
be OF the House of Representatives, al
though committed to the proposition that
the Speaker must be Shorn of the power
to appoint committees. does not believe
in the reform. He is emphatic. how
ever. in the declaration that the plan of
having the Ways and Means Democrats
apportion the committee places among
the members of their own party must be
tried.
1t is his idea that the Democratic party.
having made an issue of Cannonsm.
which, reduced to its elements, means
simply the exercise OF power by the
Speaker must keep its implied promise of
reform and so the limit.
1t was for this reason that Mr.. Clark,
Immediately after his selection as Speaker
by the recent Democratic caucus, made a
plea for the committee on committees
idea. The caucus was ready and willing
TO leave the power to appoint committees
in his hands. The leading Democrats of
the body-in fact. great majority of
the rank and file-conSider the removal
OF power from the Speaker as extremely
unwiSe. Mr.. Clark is inclined to agree
with them.
Had to Take Stand.
Bur although he is no pa parliamentarian
the MiSSourian is practical man, and
he insisted before the caucus that the
effect upon the country of the creation
OF a Democratic car in the House after
all the believing against Cannon during
the last lew years. would be deplorable
And the caucus. listening TO his voice,
worked his will.
Whatever Mr.. Clark may have thought
at that time about the unwisdom of leav-
ing the distribution of committee places
in the hands of the Ways and Means
Committee. his riews are even stronger
now. n" thinks there is trouble ahead.
His licutenantS agree with him.
With the convening of the SiXty-second
Congress. ten months in the future.
the Democrats of the Ways and Means
Committee have been trying to make up
a tentative committee slate. The most
eXtravagant promises arc being made.
Trades a matter of daily occurrence.
Feuds are starting up in various State
delegations. Individuals are bitter, and
relations arc strained.
Three for Ono Post.
Three men-RcprcSentativc Pou of
North Carolina: johnson. OF Kentucky.
and Rothcrmel Of Pennsylvania. have
been promised chairmanShipS of the Conn
mittee on the District of Columbia Both
Representatives Fitzgerald of New York
and Burleson. of Texas. have been as
sured of the Craftsmanship of the impor-
tant Committee on Appropriations. And
these are only two examples out of any
number Of the same sort.
\ Pennsylvania Democrat. who has
been promised the craftsmanship he
wants made the prediction yesterday
that the committees of the House would
never he selected but once by any power
other than the Speaker, no matter what
party was in power.
Il am glad he said. that this scheme
of having the Democratic members of the
Ways and Means Committee apportion
the committee places among the members
of their own party is going to be tried.
The sooner il is tried the sooner it will
bc abandoned. II is wrong in principle,
incapable of efficient operation. and will
contribute to bring about a condition Of
chaos as no other one thing could pos
SibIy do.
Il knsY that Champ Clark is not in
favor of the committee on committees
scheme or any variation of it. and never
was. But he is n practical man and a
consistent performer. 1t is his opinion
that it is up to the members OF his party
TO take the power of committee appoint
ments away from the Speaker. But from
talks / have had with him ! do not be-
lieve that he expects to see a repetition
of the performance"
Lives Are Made Miserable.