Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-04-25
IS CONGRESS SLOW?
LAWMAKERS SEEM TO BE KEEP.
ING LEIsuRELY PACE SET
IN PAST.
HOW LOWER HOUSE DAWDLES
Hearings in the Naval Committee Have
Consumed Much Time-Unlimited
Senate Debate Generally Considered
Greatest Cause of Delay.
BY GEORGE CLINTON

Washlngton.-Spe Speaker Champ Clark
has denied with something like indig-
nation that the house of representa-
tives is 'dawdling" along with legis-
lation. Some time ago another mem
Der Of congress, a Democrat. but one
holding membership in the upper
branch, said publicly that congress
was far behind in it's work. It is
this statement, which was sent broad
cast through the country, which per.
maps is responsible for the letters
which congressman of all parties are
said to be receiving asking why they
do not speed up"
To an outsider who can separate
himself from the politics in the case
1t seems that congress is just about
keeping the pace which was set for it
IN the past. When the Republicans
were in power they were charged with
dawdling, and now that the other
party has control the same charge is
laid at its door. The truth is that
congressman, being like other folk.
are moved by all kinds of elements
either to linger over their work or
in some specific cases to push it per
haps too rapidly.
1t is somewhat interesting to learn.
however, that most of the criticism
Of the slowness of congress which has
come from the country, not only re-
Gently but for many years past, di-
reefs itself to the house of repre-
sentat1ves. 1t is true enough that
the house does go remarkably slow
on legislation occasionally. but TAX
ing it as a rule the representatives are
racers on the legislative track as COM
pared to the tortoise-paced senator's.
The reason is very simple When
the majority in the house makes up
it's mind to put a bit of legislation
through it adopts a rule limiting de-
bate and fixing the hour for a vote.
In the upper house senatorial courtesy
and a belief, or at any rate an al
legged belief, in the beauty of free and
long discussions keeps the senators
from establishing q rule to shut off
discussion. They can talk for a whole
session on one bill if they want.
Long Hearings on Navy.
Probably considerable part of the
complaint which has been made con-
corning laggardly action in the house
of representatives this year is due to
the long-drawn-out hearings in the
naval committee on the subject of
naval preparedness. Weeks and weeks
have been spent in hearings. 1t is
said that all kinds of inconsequential
matters have been discussed in the
committee, and that if the real OBJ
ject of the hearings alone had been
given consideration the bill might
have been reported to the house long
ago
Ever since congress was a congress
| the party in power has prepared in
advance Of each session 2 program of
the greater legislation which it was
| intended to sanction. The house IF
representatives has little or no diff
Guilty in putting through the measures
which the majority party leaders have
determined upon as part Of the pro-
gram. When one of these measures
gets into the house it goes through
rapidly. The trouble, as has been said
before, comes in the senate where
free discussion and no rule to bring
it to a close enable the opponents of
any measure to talk against it at
great length.
In the house in one way there is
such a thing as dawdling 1t has
marked pretty nearly every session
for the years that one correspondent
at least has been in this city. 1t is
peculiar kind of dawdling. Its mani
tempts of the majority leaders, or of
cliques in the house which may be
! composed of members of both parties.
to prevent the passage of some spe-
| cies of legislation which has not been
sanctioned in advance by the party
! leaders, but for which there seems to
be an insistent demand from many
| people throughout the country.
Lesson in Dodd's Ride.
Army officers in Washington main
tain that the ride of Colonel Dodd and
his troopers proves one prepared
ness point. 1t may be the feel
ing of the officers on this mat
| ter and some things which officials of
the government say concerning it will
have its effect on proposed future leg
islation when the whole subject OF
preparation for military defense is I'M
der consideration.
A siXty-four-year-old cavalry colonel
with 400 troopers made fifty-tive miles
through the night in seventeen hours
and at the rides end fought for FIVE
hours against a numerically superior
force of men hardened 70 service in
the field. The American regulars won
a marked victory.
The contention of military men here
from the first has been that real pre-
paredness consists in having q mobile
army strong enough to strike at an
enemy on the instant of his appear
ance. 1t is urged that regulars so far
as stamina is concerned always are pre-
pared. The argument therefore is that
/ preparedness need not concern itself
with the personnel OF a regular army
trained as our army always has been
trained.
While civilians, and this includes the
A Lovers Quarrel.
4 H.