The Washington times., 1911-03-17
Representative M. w. Little
ton Drafts Scheme for
Investigation.
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
EACH DEPARTMENT
Results to Be Filed With General
} Committee, Who Will Report
TO House.
BY ]. FRED ESSARY.

AUGUSTA, Ga, March 17.r-Martin w.
Iittleton. Representative-elect from
New York, who has been stopping al
the same hotel with the President for
more than week, is going to Washing
ton when the extra session begins with
q well-thought-out idea as to investiga-
ton OF the various Federal departments
1t is Mr.. Littleton's idea that one large
Investigating committee be named,
composed of House members. This COM
nittee is to be divided into subcom-
mittees and each of these divisions ds
to make an inquiry into the workings
and possible economies of one depart
meHt only.
General Report to House.
The subcommittee are, when their
work is concluded, to report to the
whole committee and a general report
of the findings of that body made to
the House.
The new Congressman prefers this
to the plan of appointing separate COM
mittees for each department, each to
work along its own lines and make its
own report
In speaking of the matter here to the
representative of The Times, Mr.. Lit
tleton said:
IF 1 develop any influence with any
body, when 1 get to Washington,
shall urge the one big committee with
subcommittee for each department. 1
am convinced that the Democrats will
make an inquiry into the way the Re-
publicans have run the Government
during the years they have been in
control of the machinery of both the leg
islatiwe and executive branches.
During Extra Session.
'"When the time comes to make this
Investigation, and It will probably come
during the extra session, believe that
one big committee could do more eff
fective work than a dozen smaller
committees, each working independent
ly of the other, and each pursuing its
inquiries along different lines.
BY naming the one great investigat-
ing committee with power to call for
records and persons and then appoint
ing from its membership an individual
committee for each department it would
not only be possible to concentrate the
authority and the responsibility, but the
recommendations would be more intelli-
gent, in my judgment.
IF we are going to find it possible
TO cut down the expenses of govern
ment, we must at the same time be in
a position to reduce the. taxation now
needed to meet the expenditures This
same committee might, in conjunction
with the Ways and Means Committee,
report al once upon both propositions"
Puzzled BY House Rules.
Mr. Littleton said that he had no prc-
conceived ideas about great reforms to
be wrought. He said that he had as
much to learn as anybody who was
ever elected to Congress. but this would
not prevent him from urging the Dlan
just outlined, when he finally gets
voice in the proceedings Of the House.
The new Congressman was in Wash
ington during the last days of the Sixty
first Congress. He was more mystified
at the complication of the House rules
than at anything that came under his
notice. He says now that he does not
see how anybody can find out what IS
going on.
He is not advocating any revision of
the rules but he is wondering If he will
ever reach that point in his Congress
sional career when he can get the hang
Of the process by which business IS
done in the House.