Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-22


the leading weaknesses Of our lcgisia-
tive plan. 1t is pointed ont that tho
committee member Is no substitute for
the Cabinet member. Behind the doors
OF the committee-room he gets more
Information than he divulges. in order
TO guide him In framing his bills. He
conVinces himself OF the necessity for
certain provisions. ana the House as a
whole Is often asked to take that ne
cessity on faith.
Every line In this bill has been care
tutiy considered by EXPERTS" is about
what the inquiring colleague IL usually
'oio. III necessary. we could convince
you that II IS tho Lest possible meas
ure. 3ut We ask you to take our word
LOT IT, and not TO delay tho game"
This attitude has been particularly
marked since the declaration % war;
In spite OF the need for haste, there
~ large coterle Of inIuiriny spirits
III Congress who want 10 ask ques-
tons Under almost any circumstances.
Doubtless there is neetl for haste. and
obstructionists should bo blasted by
public opinion. but nonetheless the leg
!slntite Interrogation points ara a val
liable part OF the congressional ma
chine. Measures at once So Important
and SO revolutionary as those we are
adopting to-day need to he subjected
TO all the Intelligent Questioning they
can get These inquiring member
would like 10 have the sources Of in
formation where they can get at them
Could Refuse to Answer.
The Cabinet officer on the floor of
Congress could refuse to answer am
question where he considered that the
Information desired had best not be
made public. The cabinet ministers
abroad spend most OF their time rcfus.
ing TO answer questions. Nevertheless.
no one can follow the debates in the
.nouse or Commons or the Frcnch
Chamber Of Deputies without seeing
mat the members get good deaf Of
what they ere after. They circle round
and round the position OF .he ministers
win their queries. and by plccinE to.
Sethcr his deniala and his affirmations
they get an idea OF the state of at
iairs. This IL chiefly because they can
ASK dozen questions in ten minutes
Our system has the defect that II may
take week for a member Of Congress,
10 get an answer TO single one
II Is evident that the chief merit
OF having Cabinet officers seated in
Congress would be the chance given
members TO get information quickly
and directly. 1t is said that Congress
would be quicker to enact legislation
giving broad and absolute powers to
the executive branch OF government II
II could keep string on its laws, SO
TO speak. by having chance to CROSS
examine the heads OF the executive de-
partments engaged in putting them
into effect AS il is, Congress Is slow
to vote very broad powers. because
once they arc voted. the executive
branch has absolute authority
On the other hand. there is strong
opposition TO having the Cabinet in
Congress on the ground that such q
pla~ would be out OF place In our sys-
tenn OF government. 1t is pointed out
that abroad. where all Cabinet min
listers sit in the respective legislative
bodies, wherever there is democratic
government, at least. the Cabinet is \
dinerent institution. both in theory
and practice. from our own. The Eng.
lish or French cabinet. for example. 10
continually subordinate TO the lesis-
lative body. when the prime minister
and the members OF his official family
are called to account by legislators
they are reporting to their masters
ANY time they cannot command tho
support OF the legislative branch. they
fall.
Cabinet Stands for President.
In this country. however the Cabinet
simply stands for the President, and
the President is not subordinate to
Congress. His office is an elective
one. but once he Is elcctcd-as has
often been pointed out-he is in many
ways the most absolute monarch in
the world. He is dependent on Con-
gress for the passage of his measures,
nut once they are passed he can go
'"eit tNeCueioh IN MS own way.
In other words. our government as
founded in the Constitution, provides
for nicer balancing OF the executive
and the legislative powers than is tho
case In the great democratic states
abroad where the Legislative over
shadows the executive. To seat Cabi-
net members In Congress would be
equivalent to hauling the President up
Tor cross examination. say the oppo-
nents OF the plan. Strangely enough,
there are others who oppose II on tho
ground that il would increase the al
ready somewhat overshadowing exec
utive power by reason Of the influence
that the Cabinet members would exert
on members of Congress. The pro-
posed change is at least Significant
as sign OF the congressional demand
Tor more ready access to facts