The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-02-24
The Matter with Consress,

One great thing the matter with Congress il
Congressman. There other things the matter
with It, but the chief trouble is the men who MAKE
1t up: Back OF these men, and converting then
seemingly INTO mere manifestations of it, is thu
terribly ancient system of doing Congressional
business which pertains in the Capitol at Wash
Ington- In a sense the system is the matter with
Congress, not Congressmcn; but it ever Liberation
is TO come it will be had at human hands and tn,
hands will be those OF the slaves of the system
who alone can strike off their shackes And the
Chief thing the matter with Congressman is that
they have not the time 10 think: the system won,
let them, and they won't change the system.
Theoretically Washington is city set apart
for craftsmanship. 1t is noncommcrcial city: a
city planned wisely and fairly well, with wide
streets and fair avenues, with parks and play
grounds and many monuments to the earnest bad
taste OF the creators OF it; city located
historic stream, with not thing to do but TO
buy and sell real estate, food, clothes and knick'
nacks, and to legislate. The Washington cores
pondents always make much OF the idea that
national opinion is formed in Washington, and
the average reader of the newspapers, when Inc
reads under a Washington date line that "it is
believed here that the administration will do SO
and SO. invariably feels that they" in Washing
ton holding wise council and really de-
hbcratIng with common purpose about real things.
In the minds eye the principal occupation of Con-
gressmcn is considering the welfare of the nation.
How else can they be amusing themselves. freed
they from the rush and hurry OF farm or
city life freed from the Of struggling along
in Podunk Corners salary OF less than s., 500,
without carfarc cents mile. than by studying
and bordering. statcsmanlkc, the needs of the
country? Few can imagine how else they can be
spending the long and weary sessions between
campaigns.
In the average Congrcssman's working day of
somewhat less than ten hours, the periods for
thought and study are few and the spaces between
them are wide. The morning mail OF a man who
represents 10000 people likely to be large. and
il the candidate for the continuing favor
OF the voting fraction OF the 10000, the task OF
it must be handled with skill and a
certain degree OF personal attention. This takes
time. 1t takes time to call up by telephone or
hysicay journey to three four government
Offices for the purpose OF adjusting important dis
trct business. 1t takes time to sit member
OF two committees. 1t takes time to sit
in the daily sessions OF the House, where time
more than energy is consumed in the interest OF
the public veal. 1t takes time TO tow about
" ashngton the inevitable brides and grooms
the equally inevitable delegations OF sutfragiSts,
prohibitionists and protcstants in cause OF
another. 1t takes time to prepare the Jew per-
iunctory speeches which even the average Con-
gresham must prepare during a season-or have
some one prepare for him, and this may eventu-
ally take more time. And it takes endless,
awful periods to talk and discuss and lobby and
intrigue for the smallest favors from the ma
chine that controls Congress and thus governs
Congressman. The few Congressman no ae-
complish the ordinary routine things and man
age in addition to do something noteworthy out
side OF the strong men.-N. l.. Stoddart
IN the New Republic.