Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-09
HOUSE Ab(lISHES
FIVE NI|eESHPS
BY Vote Of 1871 to 70 the Bart
lett Commerce Court Amend
naent Is Adopted.

For the first time since President
Jefferson's administration the House
today voted to abolish five federal
judgeships, the vote Of ISL to IS fol-
lowing the introduction of an amend
ment by Representative Bartlett OF
Georgia to wipe out of existence the
positions held by the Judges OF the Com
merce Court. The Bartlett amendment
is now part of the general deficiency
bill, which provides for the closing up
of the Commerce Court, and which will
undoubtedly pass later in the afternoon.
II the bill is enacted, with the Bart
lett amendment, the judges OF the
Commerce Court will not only be de-
prived OF their robes of office in the
present court, but will be prevented
from returning to any other United
States court bench. In short, they will
be lesisIated out Of office-a most unusual
procedure under the United States govern
ment.
The only precedent is that OF the
abolition of the so-called midnight
Judges" a century ago. At the last day
Of the elder Adams administration he
sent the names Of several appointees
to federal judgeships to Congress, and
the appointments were made. Owing to
strong political feeling then the judges
became the center OF combined at
tack from Adams foes: At the sug-
gestfor Of President Jefferson, VINO
sent q message to Congress on the
subject, the judgeships were abolished.
Representative Bartlett IL a member
of the subcommittee which prepared
the deficiency bill, and he endeavored
to have the bill as presented to the
he oh n1iShinp c1QnSa The
committee outvoted him. Representa-
lives Fitzgerald. Gillett and Ware were
against It, and only Representative Sis
SON stood with Mr.. Bartlett.
To Be Attacked in Senate.
Constitutional experts In the Senate.
1t is believed, will attack the Bartlett
amendment, and there is every prob
ability that the almost unprecedented
action by the House will result In a.
long tie-up in conference.
The. House Of Representatives, by q
strictly party vote, today rejected the
Mondell proposal which was offered as q
part of the general deficiency bill. to give
the Secretary of Commerce 100000 in
stead or $4,000 to Investigate the cost Of
production at home and abroad. The de-
flciency bill already carries $4,000 for
this purpose, and Representative Mon
deli of wyoming, g. staunch republican.
offered the amendment to increase the
sum purely as political move. The work
to be done with the money las consider
able bearing on tariff questions, and the
republican argument was that the demo-
orats do not want to make a real inves-
tigatiOn.
Unable to Get Quorum.
Although the House, sitting as commit
tea OF the whole, approved the paragraphs
In the general deficiency bill abolishing
the commerce court, the actual passage
Of the bill was prevented last night by
the absence of a quorum. The debate on
the paragraphs was warm in nature, but
brought forth no general arguments not
already heard In connection with the long
drawn-out attempts to put this court out
of business. Representative Bartlett of
Georgia. however, offered an amendment
to take all power from the present judges
of the court. Upon this amendment the
vote was 90 to 45. but final action was
delayed until today.
Representative Cox OF Indiana, one OF
the greatest economists of th8 House,
made a heated argument against the pay
ing Of mileage expenses to government Of
ficials in any shape except the actual
amount Of expenses incurred. He spoke
particularly of an army officer whom he
saw travelling eastward at one time. The
army man. said Mr.. Cox, informed a
friend OF his that at cents q mile, al
lowed him for travelling, he netted $l15
on the trip.