The sun., 1917-12-04
FlTZGERALDTO
QUIT CONGRESS
Brooklyn Representative An
nOunces His Retirement at
End Of Year.
TO PRACTICE LAW HERE
Denies Rumor Of Appoin tment
Under Hylan-Long Ser
vice in House.
TO PRACTICE LAW HERE
Special Deepafch to THa SuN.

Special Despatch to THs suS.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 3.-Representative
John J. Fitzgerald Of Brooklyn, chair:
Wan Of the House Appropriations Com
rhittee. announced to-day that he would
resign from the House and retire from
public life at tho end of the present
month. Just before making this an
nouncement Mr.. Fitzgerald called on the
President personally and notified him Of
his intention.
The report that Mr.. Fitzgerald was
being considered for City Chamberlain
Of New York under the Hylsn admins
tration was set at rest by Mr.. Fitzger-
aid himself In the announcement Of his
determination to leave public life. In II
he said that he had no intention Of ever
again accepting public ONCE. He made
this announcement:
AT the end Of this month l shall re-
tire from Congress to practise law In
New York. shall >be associated with
Mr.. Justice Luke d. Stapleton Of the
New York Supreme Court. now assigned
to the Appellate Division. and Mr. Will
lam J. Mahon, formerly counsel to the
Sheriff Of Kings county.
Nearly 10 Years IN House.
1T is with considerable regret that I
find myself compelled to take this step.
Although my work has been arduous 1t
has been congenial. II consulted my
personal preferences I should remain In
Office. In nearly nineteen years contin-
uous service In the House, however. all
my time has been absorbed In the dis
charge Of public duties and there has
been no opportunity to give any atten-
tion to my private Affairs.
THE increasing requirements OF a
large family. the necessity Of absenting
myself from my wife and chfifren al
most continuously and inability to meet
my growing obligations necessitate that
before 1t Is too late I devote myself to
my profession to earn sufficient to edu-
cate my children properly. to provide
them comforts which they should have
and to make some provision for the fu,
ture.
While my interest in public AFFAIRS
will continue ! do not again expect to
take public Office.
Mr.. Fitzgerald has been considering re-
signing his seat in Congress for several
months and was on the verge Of resign
ing at the end Of the last session. but
he did not desire his intention known at
that time.
Heads Most Important Committee.
The resignation OF Mr.. Fitzgerald Is
of the utmost moment, as he heads the
committee which is charged with franz
ing the most important legislation con-
sidered by Congress. During the last
session the total of the sums for which
legislation was drawn in the Appropria-
tions Committee amounted to several
billions Of dollars Mr.. Fitzgerald
steered this great money legislation on
its course through the House.
The retirement of Mr.. Fitzgerald is a
body blow to the Democratic organixa-
ton In the House. as he was regarded
BY many as the real leader Of the ma
jority. Representative Kitchin. the NOM
inai leader, has differed 20 radically with
the Administration on some Of Its most
important measures thai his influence
actually was less than was that Of the
Brooklyn Representative.
Through the retirement Of Mr.. Fitz-
gerald the reins Of power In the Appro-
priations Committee will pass to Repre-
sentative Swager Sheriey of Kentucky.
Mr.. Sherley 10 next in line In seniority in
the committee. and has acted as Mr..
Fatzgerald's lieutenant in all OF tho biz
money measures which have been acted
on in Congress in the last few years. IT
has been the rule and the custom in
Congress for the ranking majority men,
ber Of any COMMITTEES to succeed to the
ohairmanship whenever 1t became va
cant. This custom has been followed
even when II meant that an Incompetent
man would NIL the shoes Of his prede-
cessor.
Successor an Able Man.
In this case the ranking Democratic
member Of the committee Is remarkably
we'll equipped to carry on the stupendous
task which the war has placed on the
Appropriations Committee.
Mr.. Fitxgerald's retirement comes af-
ter almost seven years at the head OF
the Appropriations Committee. He sue
ceeded Representative Tawney as chair
man after the Republicans lost the ma
jority to the House. He has been In
Congress for almost nineteen years. COM
Ir> In, ~ tvnsn