Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-16
MEMeERs DROVE THORN IN SIDES
or CABINET AND DEPART
MENT HEADS
MEMBERS MAKE ENDLESS
DEMANDS FOR FACTS
Applications For Jobs For Needy Con-
stitusnts Also eurdsnsome to offie-
ials Who Have Jobs to Give Out
Must 30 Accommodating 40 Long a.
Congress Holds Purse Strings.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Washington, March Is. - The most
relieved people in Washington over the
fact that congress has, quit and may
not be in session again for some
months are the cabinet chiefs and
heads Of important bureaus in the de-
partments. The assistant secretaries
Of the departments should be included
IN this category.
Congress has been sitting almost
continuously for SO long that the cabi-
net officers and other important Of
icials have in some degree got used to
its presence. But not entirely.
Demands Endless.
The presence of congress in WASH
ington means a lot Of work and trou-
Die and politics for the men who run
the executive departments. They find
themselves unable to give their un-
divided attention to running the exc
cutive end OF the government when the
senator's and representatives are Sit
ting ON the hill, grinding away at legls-
lation. The demands which the sena-
tors and representatives make on the
departments are endless. In some
cases, they are astonishing. Many OF
.he demands have to be turned down
out an executive official never likes 10
turn down what a senator or mousse
member asks il he can help it. He
lever knows when he will! want favor
from the man in congress In return.
Congress "Pokes Its Nose"
Volumes have been written about the
- two
legislative and more volumes have been
written about the usurpalion OF legls-
lative power by the judiciary. On the
other hand, it is fact that there are
few subjects, legislative, executive or
judicial, into which congress does not
show disposition to poke its nose Or
IL congress as whole does not 90 So
Individual members do. In recent years.
nothing is more common when Things
do not go to suit, then for q member
of house or senate to Introduce q res
olution Of inquiry or demand an inves-
tieation. Some of the investigations
thus brought about have been valu-
uble helps to good government thru the
,earchlight of publicity they have
turned on places that needed illumina-
ton. These inquiries are troublesome
sibIe for a member Of congress in If
teen minutes to frame up simple res
olution Of inquiry and then get 1t
passed without difficulty to keep
dozen clerks in a department work
ing for a week getting up the data
for the answer. Besides this, senators
and representatives are continually adj
dressing letters to heads Of depart
ments and independent bureaus asking
for information. To dig up this infor-
nation often takes days of work by one
or more clerks.
This is one way n which congress
Increases the burden on the depart
ments and independent bureaus, thru
it's desire, collectively and individually,
to know all about most everything.
Job Getting Business.
Then there is the bushes OF getting
Jobs. which includes landing Of new
people ink Government places and get
sing persons in the service transferred
and promoted. Some of the members
Of house and senate are noted for their
oersistency in haunting the depart
ments hunting for places for hungry
constituents. The life of the depart
ment head and Of other important Of
ficials is made miserable by this bust
ness OF job hunting. 1t is true that
when CONGRESS is out OF town, many
members continue to hunt jobs by mail.
Still. II is easier to answer letters than
TO sit down for q half hour with an in
sistent senator, or representative ana
listen to his reasons RS TO Just why
Bill Jones is entitled above all other
men to help run particular wheel OF
the government. The president is
greatly burdened by the behests OF Of
fice seekers and the politicians who
back up the job hunters. And the
politicians who are hardest to avoid
because Of their prerogatives are the
senators and house members.
Holds Purse Strings.
Besides these things, congress some
times Jumps on a department or an
OFFICIAL and rakes him fore and aft with
42-centimeter adjectives. Then, there Is
the social swirl which congress causes.
which is pleasant enough in many re-
spects but which imposes big burden
on the cabinet heads and the leading
officials and their families. 1t is no
easy task to attend IN endless round OF
dinners and functions and make long
lists Of calls with punctilio and exacti-
tude thru month after month.
Congress is extremely necessary to
the executive end of the government
because, after all, congress holds the
purse strings. Just the same, when
congress stays here TOO long, the exc
cutiye functionaries get headache
and show need Of rest. That is the case
now. What the executive Officials are
worrying about is that an extra ses-
sion may have to be called most any
time.
BENEFITS FROM COMPENSATION.
Beard Gives Two and One. Half Times
.---.1-. z ,,......A 0kEasad hH e N aloxAe.