The Washington herald., 1913-07-06

sert provision for the employment of
counsel. An attempt will be made to
secure the presence of a quorum on
Wednesday. and Mr.. Henry will ask
for the yeas and nays. The result of
such test is problematicaL
To deny the committee authority to
employ expert counsel would be to
seriously hamper the investigation of
the Mulhall charges. The legal ability
of the members of the committee is
in no way involved in the question.
although members who opposed this
provision sought to premise their OPP
position on that ground.
Mass of Documents.
Mulhall claims that he has in the
neighborhood of 1000 checks. expense
accounts, letters and memoranda with
which to prove his startling charges. II
these documents are to attain their great
est usefulness in the substantiation or
reputation of Mulhalrs charges. they
must be studied, arranged. marshaled in
certain order. and this order must not
be disarranged and confused by discon-
nected efforts and the lack of a fixed
program. The work of the succeeding
day must be mapped out after each days
session. All this means that some one.
and some one of great legal ability,
must give his undivided attention to
the matter.
Doubtless the committee will contain
members of marked legal ability. of as
much ability as any lawyer who might
be retained. But members of Congress
have many things to think of. They have
each some 600 constituents at home
who are demanding attention all the time.
They have letters to write. patronage
tangles to straighten out. departmental
business to attend to. pending and i'm
pending legislation in which they are in
terested. and committee work to look
after. 1t is extremely doubtful il of the
seven members two could be found who
would attend all the meetings of the COM
mittee. With no one member responsible.
the continuity of the plan Of investigation
would certainly be broken a dozen diff
ferent ways.
Purpose Il TwO-FOld.
The purpose of the investigation is two
fold, taking II for granted that an honest
probe is desired. First. the House wishes
to clear itself of a general charge Of
corruption. which the Mulhall statement.
If allowed to stand, may lodge in the
minds of thousands of persons through
out the country; second. IL desires to
clear the names of any innocent members
or former members OF the body who have
been mentioned. and to show good faith
by exposing any guilty members.
Both of these purposes may be de-
feated by an inefficient investigation. In
nocent men may suffer and guilty men
escape-and just SO far as guilty men do
escape exposure. the innocent will suffer.
Against these considerations are
weighed the pride of the House in the
legal ability of its members. This legal
ability will be quite urgently needed
in forming a plan of campaign and in
vestigation and directing the course of
the investigation. with special attorney
on hand to carry out Such a program.
As a board of strategy the committee
will find its hands full and will surrender
nothing of its prestige. authority. or re-
sponsibility. merely because it employs
an intelligent agent through which to
act. and to aid il in working out the
details.
Text Of Revolution.
The resolution brought in yesterday.
and which will be adopted Wednesday
with or without authorizing the employ
ment of counsel. reads. in substance. as
follows. after a preamble summarizing
the Mulhau charges:
THAT the Speaker appoint a select
committee of seven members to inquire
into and report upon all matters so al
legged concerning Representatives.. and
more especially whether during this or
any previous Congress the lobbyists OF
the National Association of Manu-
facturers. or the said association through
any officer. agent, or member thereof.
did. in fact. reach or influence. whether
for business. political, or sympathetic
reasons or otherwise. the said repre-
sentatives or any of them or any other
representative or officer or employe of
this or any former House of Repre-
sentatives. and if so when, by whom.
and in what manner.
said committee shall inquire whether
money has oeGn used or other improper
influence excrted by said National Asso-
citation of Manufacturers or other per-
sons. associations. or organizations. or
any agent thereof. to accomplish the
nomination or election or secure the de-
feat Tor nomination or election OF any
candidate for the House OF Representa-
iives. and said committee shall likewise
inquire whether members of the House
Of Representatives have been employed
by any of said associations or have know