Evening journal., 1914-04-01
Democratic PROBES
FOR MOST everything
Investigation Epidemic Gives
House Rules Committee
Food for Thought
LID MAY GO ON
FROM NOW ON
BY BURTON \. STANDIsH.
lWritten for the United Pressl

iNIlAltn iOi Ani 1AlAcu AltonI
WASHINGTON, April The light
Of Democratic "pitiless publicity is
waning. Legislators are not quite as
anxious to probe everything under
the sun from Esperanto to the base
ball trust" as they we're once upon a
time.
Nevertheless the investigation cpl
demic remains sufficiently serious TO
give the House Rules Committee seri-
Gus food for thought This mental
process has led them to the con
clusion that it this searchlight busi-
ness continues, Congress must re-
solve itself into nothing more than a
vast inquisitorial body.
Hence, the edict has gone forth
from the House Rules Committee that
hereafter the lid is on tight as far as
Investigations are concerned. in
order to make good this edict the
committee has pigeonholed no less
than AZ investigation resolutions.
Some of them have had action, such
as the Calumet and Colorado strike
probes under the forceful effect of a
House caucus. Then there has been
a probe of Mulhall charges against
the National Association of Manu-
facturers and others. But the ma
iority Of the forty-three resolutions
introduced IN this congress have had
no committee action and will never
again see the light of day. according
to authoritative information from the
committee.
And the rules committee Is a vastly
powerful body, their edict will go, un-
less a group of Democrats, dis
gruntled by such course, force Con-
gress into action by the caucus route.
Every time some big question is be-
fore the public, a flock Of investiga-
tion resolutions pour in upon the
Rules Committee.
The forty-three resolutions above
mentioned, represent only separate
subjects, but the pigeonholes in the
Rules Committee room hide scores
Of duplicates.
Sometimes the investigation resOlu.
ton Is for the purpose of creating po-
litical capital. The congressman sees
in a popular subject the chance to
make himself solid with the folks
back home, and In goes a resolution
Anything of course that affects the
price Of living is live wire subject
for the enterprising congressman, and
even If beefsteak or bread remains
Just as high-or goes higher-Mr
Congressman gets credit back in his
district for looking out for the plain
folks. And they're the people who
cast the votes.
Probably, however, the majority OF
such resolutions do not arise solely
from desire TO get votes. Most of the
Investigations proposed have behind
them vital public interest, or q
condition In which publicity mean.
correction.
The house rules committee. how.
ever, now takes the position that the
majority OF the petitions cover sub.
1ects which can readily be dealt with
by other branches of the government.
For instance there are now pend
ing resolutions 10 investigation the
Rock Island railroad, the Pere Mar
Quette railroad, the Chicago, Duluth
and Minneapolis wheat markets. All
or these matters could readily come
under the purview OF existing govern
mental bodies-the former under the
Interstate Commerce Commission, the
latter under the Department Of Jus.
tice and the bureau OF corporations.
The flood OF resolutions, however.
IS dwindling. When the Democrats
hrst came into power. they wanted
everything Investigated. Appropria.
tons galore, expenditures without
end All. they were made by Repub-
licans, and were they not proper mat
ters Tor Democratic "pitiless public
Then after their first enthusiasm
the Democrats forgot that the Repub-
leans had ever existed. subseouent
Investigations would cover such sub.
lects as dissolution OF the American
Tobacco Company. the American
Woolen Company, the forest service
tne use Of Esperanto as an auxiliary
language and so on ad infnitum.