Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-31
ASKS NEW SYSTEM
FOR SENATE WORK
Washington Legislator Pro.
poses Plan to Limit Size
of Committees.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 81. - Reor-
ganization of the working system of
the Senate is proposed in plan SUBJ
mitted to the Senate by Senator Jones,
of Washington.
| Senator Jones has introduced two
resolutions. One would limit the num-
Der of standing committees of the
! Senate, dividing them into committees
of the first class and committees Of
the second class, limiting the number
of committee assignments which a
single senator may have, and reducing
! the size of the committee. The other
! resolution specifies the number of en-
ployes which each senator and each
committee may have and fixes their
salaries.
Would ReyolutioniEe System.
The work of the Senate is largely
done In the committee rooms. where
legislative problems are threshed out.
When the committee findings are re-
ported to the Senate they are usually
accepted by that body. Any change,
therefore, in the committee arrange.
| ment would have, great effect upon
! the working organization OF the Sen
ate.
The Jones resolutions are before the
| Senate rules committee. Senator
Jones has promised to do all In his
power to get them considered during
| the present session.
The first measure introduced by
Senator Jones provides for nine COM
| mittees of the first class and sixteen
i committees of the second class. A
senator may be appointed to only one
of the committees of the first class
, and to not more than two committees
of the second class.
/ Committees of Two Glasses.
Committees of the first class are
designated as follows Appropria-
| tions. commerce, District of Columbia,
finance. foreign relations interstate
commerce, Judiciary, banking and
currency and public lands.
Committees of the second class are:
Agriculture and forestry, rules
census, civil service, claims, educa-
| tion and labor, insular affairs, immi-
grafton, military affairs, naval af-
fairs, pensions, postoffices and post
roads, printing, engrossed and en-
rolled bills. public buildings and
grounds and a committee to audit
and control the contingent expenses
| OF the Senate
Under the present system of stand
| ing committees there are no less than
seventy-five committees of the Sen
ate. Many are inactive, never meet
Ing and never having any business
before them for consideration.
Under the Jones resolution the
membership of the first class COM
mittees would be limited to eleven,
and of the second class committees
to sixteen.
The membership of committees as
now organized runs as high as
eighteen, and many important COM
mittees have seventeen members.
Frequently q single senator has as
signments to four or five important
committees are made by the COM
mittee on committees as steering
committee.
Would Curb Older Senators.
Senator Jones contends that the
present system of committees makes
II impossible for the senators to at
tend to the work of the Senate
properly, or even to the work of all
the committees to which they are
assigned. He had pointed out that
when q number of the committees are
at work on bills or holding hearings
it is almost impossible to keep a
quorum in the Senate chamber for
consideration of business before that
body. He has contended, also, that
4 is impossible for a senator to give
all the attention which should be
given to the various important meas
ures which may come simultaneously