Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1915-01-03
RELIEF FOR THE
 IRfD ifGIsLAl0R Library ComEittee cc House Wants Reference Division
 Establishsd.
MAKE BETTER LAWS
By Having Experts Provide Knowledge Law. Makers Lack. It Is Believed Legislation Wonld Be
 Improved.

Washington, Jan., 2.-The tired | overworhed legislator is about to have relief. if plans for the house library committee carry. This com mittee has just decided that the path way of the legislator is far too thorny especially when it comes to the rou- tine labor of framing bills, gathering official documents, learning instricate points of existing law, and such gar den variety affairs as interfere really with the really higher sphere of 9 congressman's position. Hence, the library cOmnittee has recommended that there be .established in tho con gressional library Legislative re- ference division.''
 Tn process is very simple. A con grcs3man decides he wants 60 intro duce a bill to permit the departmen of agriculture to investigate specie Of animal which might he produced by crossing 3 zebra and hummlr' bird. He decides llc idoesn't know any thing about either the zebra, humm'nss bird. or department of agriculture. So he would merely have to alt down his phone, ring up the legislative rS ference division. ask for data on his sutiect, and the best mHtilad for ln- Cornorating his idea in. bill.
 The division would thereupon get busy, obtain what the aforesaid legis- lator wants. and ship it back to h'" office. when the bill relative to. zebras md humming birds would go in put up in the latest approved fash ion.
 Of course, its works would be more serious than the incident cited above and a.nnalber of leading members n' congress claim that such division E absolutely essential to the carefu framtnxsof bills. That it would re- duce the ultimate work of congress in amending complicated or nnitellislDle meaSures is their contention.
 The opinion of Representative Slay- den of Texas. of the committee on H. brary. is ably expressed in his re-
 -sMs fuil sspe
 Ut is believed that the legislative reference division will result in i'm prcvement In the form of bills pre- sentet to congress by supplying mem ber5 with adequate data relative tN the subject of the proposed leeis!a- tion. Necessary information will be collected from congressional, ruli~ of executives. and decisions of courts. Important data from every scarce fcrcign and domestic. will be placed at the disposal of the legislator to facilitate his work and make it more cffectual This will be di2ested and viven to members in 2 convenient form.
 Members will be enabled to call upon the bureau for a report as to ths exact state of existing law on any subject and of proposed reforms or amendments. whether in the national statc or foreign Legislative enactments will be made, and complete indices ci all matter germans to legislative sup jccts prepared and made available.
 As the result of nature delipera- tion your committee are unanimously of the opinion that the legislative re- ference division should be a depart mcnt of the congressional library, where most of the data exists which will be collected, indexec, and mad !. available for legislators. The com mittac believes that this measure will effect "a real reform and that ill lit- tie while members cf both houses Of congress will come to rely on the TO- ference division for much of the data now painf@lly gathered by themselves and their clerical assistants. none of whom are especially trained for. or have the time to give to, labor which psrtakes of the nature of drudgs.y. Other great legislativcs bodies have such an adiunct--and the information of the committee is that when onca established and given time to prove its usefulness none has been abaa- donad."
 Such men as the Hon. James Bryce, former English ambassador and au. thor of tho American Commonwealth. Dr. William D. Lewis, dean of the Pennsylvania law school: Charles r. Nclls, commissioner of the bureau ei labor. Speaker Clark, Ernst Brnnokca formerly with the legislative bureau x nf California, Minority Leader Mann, Representative Shirley and others have given endorsement to the pro- p0saL
 MQFesnever, there is a prospect that other members, tired of what the committee terms drudgery, will will ingly vote for the new system if it comes before them for action soon.
 JnGidentally, that it may he pointed tut that scftentimes bills come before the house in the most hapazard condi- tion. Written on scraps of paper, hnr- ricdN sc.ibblet in pencil, or show 1 jng plain.y the lack of painstaking eff0rtx Or information. they arc thrown into the h0nner. and later are < taken before an Overhurdened com- nitt6e for tleoipherink and amending. < and 9inally. with much trimming. are printsd and ssubmitted to the house Tor vote.
 NoW 1o Cure sa Lagrippe COWel
 lappe sa0ushs demand instant fvo61 olat. They sah0w a serious con- 4ax3-&s III <zf.sscfn,1a .nnd ara r1AaNnll-