The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-04-20
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-UnIimited
Senate Debate Generally Considered
Greatest Cause Of Delay.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
WHshington.-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 its work. 1t Is
this statement, which was sent broad
cast through the country. which per.
haps 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
It 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 1t per-
haps too rapidly.
It 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.
rects itself to the house of repre-
sentatives. II is true enough that
the house does go remarkably slow
on legislation occasionally. but TAX
ing 1t as rule the representatives are
racers on the legislative track as COM
pared to the tortoise-paced senators.
The reason is very simple. When
the majority in the house makes up
its 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 belief, or at any rate an al
legged belief, in the beauty of free and
long discussions keeps the senators
from establishing rule to shut of
discussion. They can talk for a whole
session on one bill if they want.
Long Hearings on Navy.
Probably a considerable part Of the
complaint which has been made con
corning laggardly action in the house
of representatives this year is due tC
the long-drawn-out hearings in the
naTat committee on the subject o
naval preparedness. Weeks and weeks
have been spent in hearings. 1t IL
said that all kinds of inconsequentia
4 matters have been discussed in thu
4 committee, and that If the real oh
Z Ject of the hearings alone had beel
& given consideration the bill might
I have been reported to the house lonl
ago.
Ever since congress was a congress
the party in power has prepared II
q advance of each session program O
4 the greater legislation which it wa
4 intended to sanction. The house "
8 representatives has little or no diff
4 Guilty in putting through the measure
4 which the majority party leaders hav
B determined upon as part of the pre-
n gram. When one of these measure
u gets into the house'sit goes through
B rapidly. The trouble, as has been sal,
before, comes in the senate wher
free discussion and no rule to brin
it to a close enable the opponents O
any measure to talk against it a
great length.
In the house in one way there I
y such a thing as dawdling. 1t ha
a marked pretty nearly every sessio
t for the years that one correspondent
r at least has been in this city. 1t
v a peculiar kind Of dawdling. Its man
= tempts of the majority leaders, or G
= cliques in the house which may b
:. composed of members of both parties
. to prevent the passage of some spt
= cies of legislation which has not bee
= sanctioned in advance by the part
leaders, but for which there seems t
;. be an insistent demand from man
!, people throughout the country.
: Lesson In Dodd's Ride.
Army officers in Washington mai
tain that the ride of Colonel Dodd an
his troopers proves one prepare
. ness point. 1t may be the fee
l. ing Of the officers ON this ma
= ter and some things which officials I
the government say concerning it wi
have it's effect on proposed future le
Z islation when the whole subject I
3 preparation for military defense is u
der consideration.
A siXty-four-year-old cavalry colon
l. with 400 troopers made fifty-five mile
a through the night in seventeen houl
r and at the rides end fought for fiN
Q hours against a numerically superi'
Q force of men hardened to service
?, the field. The American regulars VIC
d a marked victory.
y The contention of military men hel
= from the first has been that real pr
Il paredness consists in having mobi
8 army strong enough to strike at 6
}. enemy on the instant of his appes
n ance. 1t Is urged that regulars so fl
n as stamina is concerned always are pr
IS pared. The argument therefore is tn
a preparedness need not concern itse
n with the personnel of a regular arm
f trained as our army always has be'
q trained.
While civilians, and this includes Il