The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-20
CONGREssMEN WORRIED (.
BY W|THERsPOON's ACT
He Declines to Accept Pay for Four
Days He Was Not on
Duty.
MAY RESULT UNpLEAsANTLY
Members Fear II Will Lead to En-.
forcement OF Ncarly-Forgotten
Law for Prevention of Absentee
ism-CalIs It Matter Of Conscience.

washington. n. c.. July 1.-the
House Of Representatives does not know
whether or not to take Representative
Withcrspoon seriously In his refusal to
accept pay for four days he Was absent
from the House. However. n careful
canvass of the members reveals the
fact that no one is thinking of follow
Ing his example Representative With
erspoon himself says that any member
who absents himself from Congress
while IL Is In session. except on account
OF illness. is IAN embezzler of the pub
lie fund"
Tho law which Representative With
erspoon obeyed so punctiliously when
ne refused to take money for days abb
sent Is not binding on tho members at
all. but on the sergeant-at-arm of tho
House and the secretary Of the Senate
and stipulates that those officers shall
deduct from the monthly payments Of
his salary for each day that ne has been
absent from the Senate or House, re-
spectively. unless such member or dele
gate assigns reason for such alb
sence the sickness of himself or some
member of his family"
What would happen II you attempt
ed TO enforce that law" Sergeant-at-
Arms Gordon was asked to-day.
I would last about three days" he
replied
Might Check Absenteeism.
Members OF the House we're inclined
TO think that there are grave questions
concerning the law that will have to
be settled before the sergeant-at- arms
could be expected to enforce 1t, al
though the law has been on the books
since 1855. Representative Woods. OF
Iowa. for instance, said: There Is
question as to what constitutes absence
i m a oar r,
more important than listening TO House
debates. However, If the law should
be enforced there would be much less
absenteeism than there is now"
Representative Albert Johnson of
Washington, who has not been absent
since he came TO Congress at the be
ginning OF this session. said: When
Congress gets through regulating
evcrybody's business and attempts to
regulate It's own. perhaps they can en-
act an eight-hour day law for Congress-
men which would Justify piece work
and daily wages. to be paid only when
members are In their seats. We arc not
working by the whistle here"
Representa- tive La Toilette. of Wash
inston. said: ~ had never even thought
Of such thing. However. I guess the
Witherspoon idea Is good one"
Representative Britten. of Illinois,
said: IF my bill. which would make 1t
crime for Congressman to leave their
duties here to accept private business
In their districts, would be made law.
1t would put an end TO all discussion as
10 the ethics of taking pay when not
on the job.
Representative Hensley, of Missouri.
said: Representative Witherspoon
never would have done such a thing for
publicity. ] know him too we'll If he
refused TO take pay he did II because
his conscience told him to-"
Representative Witherspoon himself.
! In a hlne-striped seersucker suit and
smoking corncob pipe. explained his
views In this way:
My predecessor in once used to
come down TO my district during the
sessions of Congress and practice law
| myself used to appear against him or
with MIN. He was there for two
in 1910. I expected TO clean up my pri-
vate business in time to come TO Con
gress ! had suit on hand, and tn
extra session called by President TAT,
caused me to be four days late In get
ting here. Therefore, when 7 received
my salary ] refused TO take four DAYS
pay. / did not expect IL TO become pub
lie property.
Congressman pass laws affecting
other public money. but they treat this
salary proposition in an outrageous
manner. They wouldn't treat trust
funds like they do the public salary
roll. Nor would this matter of mine
have been made known if it had not
been for this demagogy that goes on
about mileage. Members holler and
prate about IT, and the durn newspa pers
make lot about IL, and the very mem
bers who holler SO loud about mileage
sneak around and draw salary that
they are not entitled sv. II is plain
embezzlement OF funds to take money
TO which you're not entitled That's
the way ] look at It."