Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-03

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the great salary roll Of the government.
lowering employees from charwomen to
he President The sundry civil bill also
DIVERS a gigantic area, from the Panama
canal to paper clips for office boys in
3ome of the departments.
: These great supply measures have right
Il way through the House and, after the
= n ter e sted
Supply Measures sov e ea n .
{ Have Right of Way. appear be-
lore the appropriations committee and
Explain the need of the items asked for.
he bills are reported to the House and
Slaced in a docket known as the calen-
mar of the whole House on the state Of
the Union. .....
( At appropriations committee hear
mxs the independent character OF the
members of the House is shown so
Hearty that there is no mistaking 1t.
cabinet officers. and men almost as
hfgh in the confidence of various ad-
illustrations. have been severely raked
over the Goals by congressman who are
fthe representatives of the people" and
fho answer ony to their constituents.
fhe Importance of committee work
IN Congress, il not thoroughly recog-
Hized by the new REPRESENTATIVE, soon
+ impressed upon him after he takes
Sp his duties in the House. He may
have had preconceived ideas of the
tpeed with which measures proposed
ny him would become statutes. but
Rlat oftentimes diligent personal effort
ID required to get a committee act at
III. much less hasten work on any
measures except those Of generally
tecognized Importance.
( Frequently bills going to committee
lie in. the pigeonholes Of a chair
mans desk. However, a large per-
eehfags' Of proposed legislation is re-
rofted out. but before this step is taken
Invariably the representative most in
Nfested in the measure is called upon
For q personal explanation of its pur-
Noft. Realizing the absolute value of
favorable Endorsement by committee
Knowing that majority Of the men,
ters of the House follow a committees
lead in voting on measures affecting
enfy certain districts of the country
the author invariably appears at the
fslne the proposed legislation is taken
Up for preliminary consideration.
kOftentimes such hearings are extend
ID: in character and before they have
& ended many Wit
Hearings Often nesses have been
5 Long Drawn Out. Gus section. Of
he country.
Practically every big financial manu-
featuring and industrial interest in the
xountry is constantly apprised of each
tfep taken by Congress, upon measures
Affecting. even in the most remote
nay. their business interests. When
they learn that any bill which they
hvor or oppose is to come up before
Committee requests are entered for a
Fearing and representatives of these
Interests appear either to combat or
Promote the measure.
Inasmuch as it seems the desire of
the modern day House committee to
Abtain all possible information on
bending measures and their possible
tfnuence after passage, hearings are
more general than at any time in the
history of Congress. Frequently
4ngle committee may be conducting
4everai hearings at the same time,
ing appointed as a subcommittee to
handle a particular bill and listen to
fhe arguments presented.
while the House as rule follows
SOmmittee recommendations as to vari-
Gus measures. this does not mean by
1ny means that favored bills are in
Sarfably passed. 1t frequently is the
Ease that a majority of the committee
advocates the passage of the bill. The
minority members may oppose. Two
teports oftentimes are made to the
House and the matter threshed out
ON the moor. where the bill is either
BILLED. passed or further consid era ton
ndehnitely postponed. which is tanta-
- 70 ola
be reported out Of committee without
Recommendation Others may receive
She communication of an entire COM
nittee. but for purely political rea-
cons a minority. aided by certain re-
Salcitrants of the majority. will be
eble to override the Committee YER
get and Kill or pass a bill.
IOf the tens of thousands of measures
Introduced. thousands never reach the
point OF being
&ll Introducing considered on
/ and Possible Result. the r nn h..
cause Of a crowded calendar or the
Necessity of shelving all measures to
Hear the way for the passage of ap-
tFopriation bills of whatever character.
when congressman makes a great
41splay by introducing a bill to make
ehe moon change places with old
Yother Earth. II does not hold that his
4dea will get further than the paper
Ii printed upon. He may ask for
sixty federal buildings in his district
and introduce impressive looking meas
eres calling for the same. he may re-
eeive the plaudits Of his district, but
line chances out Of ten he will fail to
lain anything but that goal originally
6imed at-re-election.
One ofAthe most interesting sights in
ne Hou 10 the work Of the commit