The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-13
BORLAND'S new
PLAN FULL OF
VITAL DEFECTS
Opponents Expect to Easily
Block Substitute on Point
of Order.
CLEARLY NOT GERMANE
Amendment Proposes Permanent
Changes Not Applicable to Appro-
priations Bill Covering Year.
BY JOSEPH p. AMIN.


Although Representative Borland, in
order to bring his indefensible and I'M
provoked attack upon government clerks
in Washington within the rules of the
House, has forfeited virtually all the sup
port he might have expected from mem
bers of the House by ordering an arbi-
trary reduction of one-tenth in the num-
Der Of government clerks. parliament
tarians believe that the substitute can
be eliminated on a point of order as was
the original proposal.
The substitute is held to be vulnerable
on two important points, first. because
It is clearly not germane to the subject
matter of the bill, and second, because
1t contains two substantive proposals, one
Of which, in addition to not being ger
name, modifies existing law without
necessarily effecting retrenchment.
The Holman rule, which the substitute
seeks to come in under, provides that
under no circumstances shall an amend
ment to an appropriation bill be consid
cred modifying existing law, unless it
Is gernane to the subject matter OF the
bill. The rule reads:
Nor shah any provision in any such
bin or amendment thereto changing ex-
isting law be in order, except such as
being germane to the subject matter of
the bill shall retrench expenditures by
the reduction of the number and salary
OF the officers of the United States, ETC."
The BorIsnd amendment provides:
That the number of persons in the
classified service in the several executive
departments and other executive estab-
iishments and the government of the Dis
trict of Columbia shall be reduced by
one-tenth on '6rNbeforc June 90 1917. etc"
Not GermHne to BIZ.
The legislative. executive and judicial
appropriation bill makes appropriations
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1917
The subject matter of the bill is not
general or permanent law, but the ap-
propriations necessary for the mainte-
nance of these establishments for that
one year. As the Borland amendment
the end of the fiscal year covered by the
bill. 1t must be taken for granted that
no reductions will be made before that
time. Clearly. then, the amendment is
not germanc to the subject matter Of the
bill. in the opinion Of parliamentarians
of the House.
On the second point OF vulnerabiity, the
proposal that clerks be. required to work
not less than eight hours is clearly not
germane to the subject matter of the
bill. which affects means for paying sala-
ries and upkeep OF government depart
ment& Furthermore the first proposal
in the amendment, that the force of gov
eminent clerks be reduced one-tenth. is
in no way dependent upon the second pro-
posal that government clerks be re-
Quired to work eight hours, or vice versa
Therefore. the amendment is separable
into two distinct substantive proposals,
against either OF which point of ordeE
might lie. AS there is clearly no effort
to reduce expenditures through the sec
ond proposal to extend the hours OF
labor, considered apart from the first
proposal, the second part does not come
within the exceptions OF the Holman rule
and is subject to point of order. Under
the rules of the House, If any part of an
amendment is out of order, the entire
amendment goes out.
BorIand StiII Hangs On.
Mr.. Borland has a third proposal which
he has prepared in anticipation of the de-
feat of his second one, now pending
His third proposal seeks to establish its
germaneness by requiring that the reduc-
ton be made effective June so next. This
does not clearly make the proposal ger
name, however, and further sacrifices
votes of members in considering the
amendment on its merits.
District day in the House probably will
be passed over today to afford oppor-
tunity to finish up on the legislative bill.
District bills may be taken up If the
House disposes Of the legislative bill
quickly enough.