The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1915-12-21
WASHINGTON LETTER

Washington, D. c., Dec, 20,-(Spec-
ial to the Leader)-"There is every
indication thatthe record of hastily
considered ill-digested and faulty
legislation made by the democratic
party in former congresses is to be
repeated this session"
That this is a conclusion from which
there is no escape is the judgment of
Frank P. Woods of Iowa, chairman
the National Republican Congress
sional committee In a statement is
sued today Representative Woods out
lined the reasons for his opinion.
"No legislative body can produce &C
currate legislation without observing
two important priciples," said Mr.
Woods. First, there must be intel
ligent unity of purpose as to the laws
to be written. Second, the methods by
which the proposed legislation is to be
enacted must permit the correction of
defects when they are discovered
Even at this early stage of he
session it is apparent that both
these requirements are lacking.
With the party strength reduced
to bare majority in the House, there
is revolt against the most important
legislation proposed, namely, provi-
sion for more adequate national de-
lenses.
1.-The amounts asked for charging
the army and navy involve annual in
creased expenditures estimated at a
quarter of a billion dollars for several
years. The responsibility Of provid-
ing revenue to meet this expenditure
falls Largely upon the ways and means
committee.
The chairman of that committee,
Representative Claude Kitchin, state
that he is opposed to the nation
al defense program. His detection is
more serious when it is remembered
that his party has been unable to keep
our national finances upon sound
basis when only ordinary demands
were to be met. Mr.. Kitchin himself
has already pointed out that there is
a serious deficit i'll the treasury to be
provided for.
"In the senate the party strength
was divided even before the session
began. Bitter factional strife marked
the organization of the senate on the
issues of both the cloture rule, and it
is obvious that the breach will not be
healed
ut is evident, therefore, that there
will be no unity of purpose among the
democrats, and that their method of
procedure in framing laws will pre-
vent the correction of errors even
when discovered before enactment.
The same methods employed in pre-
ceding congresses, which were so pro-
ductive of mass Of faulty legislation
will be continued during this session"
There are a thousand predictions to
be heard as to what congress will
do. But no one has yet had the cour-
age to declare that it will adjourn be-
fore the nominating conventions are
held. In fact, many people are doubt
full if an adjournment can be had
much before election day.
submitted is long and varied and it
contains no question upon which there
IS substantial agreement in any mat
erial detail. Perhaps a reasonable"
preparedness comes nearer to COM
handing big majority than any
other matter, but it yet remains to be
determined what a reasonable" pre-
posed by the president is not so &C
curate.
There is even wider divergence of
opinion as to the means of securing
revenue to pay for even reason
able" preparedness and to care for the
deficit in the treasury which the dem
ocrats, as usual, have produced Sec
retaries McAdoo's scheme for aug
mented direct taxes is meeting with