Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-01-26
Electrical Roll Calls
KFA.
BY Frederic ]. Haskin

BY Fredel
Washington, d. c.. Jan. 23.-Intc
tine more or less dignified, at times
orderly, and always slow procedure OF
the house of representatives Of the
United States is about to be injected
an element of modern mechanical eff
flciency. Quite literally Jump spark
IL to be applied to the deliberations
of the lower house. It will be in the
form Of an electrical voting device
which will be capable Of recording and
adding the vote of the members pres
ent in about thirty-four seconds.
The average time occupied in call
ing the roll as done at present by the
house reading clerks is about forty
minutes, for the name Of every mem
Der must be read twice. A congress
man with head for mathematics es.
timated that fifty-six days were spent
calling the roll during the sessions OF
one congress. It seems quite within
the probabilities that this machine, II
installed and successful, will save the
house about one month out Of every
year. Senator Underwood believes
that it would save $4,000 year in
light, heat and telegraph service.
As for the machine, 1t is the inven.
ton of B. l.. Brobo6, a native Of Rus
STA, citizen of the United States, and
a resident of Milwaukee. Wisconsin.
It has already been installed and sue
cessful1y demonstrated in the hall OF
the Wisconsin state legislature at
Madison, Wisconsin, and Mr.. Broboff
has also demonstrated 1t on a small
scale in Washington. Many members
Of congress have already expressed
themselves as favorable to Its install
lation. Representative Howard Of
Georgia has introduced bill provid-
ing S125.000 for the purpose; and Mr..
Broboff has appeared before the COM
mittee on accounts and made q con-
vincing statement about the working
Of his machine, and the need for It.
He declares that II will speedily save
its own cost in time, light and heat;
that 1t will last a couple of centuries,
literally never get out Of order; and
that one man without any electrical
training can care for and operate it.
In the last analysis. the success OF
this machine in speeding up the
house will depend upon the members.
It can record and add vote In thirty
four seconds, but not unless the vot-
ers are there. OF course, a vote
might be taken with only one mem
Der present: but the question which
remains unsettled Is whether this new
method will really facilitate the gath
ering Of quorums.
Mr. Howard, who introduced the
bill, and other members who want to
see the machine installed, believe that
It will do So A certain time will
have to be set for the taking Of the
vote-say five minutes-and all men,
bers who have not pressed their but
tons for yea or nay and flashed a
red light or a white one on the re.
cording board will then be considered
absent 1t is the hopa and belief OF
those who want the system that its
speedy operation will compel mem
bers to stay on the floor Of the house
IL they are interested in the bill, or
II they want to avoid making a re.
cord for continual absence from roll
calls.
And that brings to the fore the big
gest problem in the present day DELHI
erations OF the house, Gradually, but
very perceptibly it is changing from
a deliberative body, where legislation
is debated and formulated, to an aggre-
cation of clerks and agents. who ap.
point committees to draft laws and
leaders to tell them how they shall
vote. and spend their own time at
tending to multitude Of details for
various individuals.
Formerly the house was a great deal
smaller; there was no house ONCE
building; the members had their Of
fees scattered all over Washington.
They nearly all attended every session
Of congress.
Now the ONCE building is right
across the street from the capitol.
During the ordinary sessions of the
house a few of the leaders and some
others will be found upon the floor.
earnestly arguing. A vote Is desired:
Electrical bells are rung that resound
through all the corridors OF the house
office building. The congressman
whose names begin with A, B and z
lean to their feet and depart for the
hall OF legislation. The KS and LIS,
however. begin debating another let
ter. while the P's and Q's and KS
merely glance at their watches. 1t
will be at least half an hour before
their names are reached on the sec
ond rol call. They 90 right on study
inv nension claims. dispatching garden
seeds and year books Of the depart
ment Of agriculture, drafting laws to
donate condemned cannon for the city
park in Podunk, or permitting 1onn
moral effect Of the power of the world
.-s.,Id Dravont her. Ought the United