The sun., 1917-01-01

FOR CONGRESS
One Proposal Is to Empower
President to Veto
Specific Items.
COMMISSION ALSO URGED
1t Would Report on Projects
as DO Army Engineers or
Harhor Needs.
COMMISSION ALSO URGED

l. 49, opPS W
the public buildings pork barrel bill
,r coraros. o.. 49,. ..as,,s. =, -.
tive reforms which will mt an end to
,,o ,,,,,o,. .,.,.,., ~. ..,,,. ..',,,.,,
'''e"' Vi os 'o'.hs y" ""''"
these pork measures are rounded.
The pork" leaders received another
Jolt on the eve of the coming eonnic, bv
Secretary NcAdoo WHO In a statsment
setting forth ,ha nscess,tv TO- rai.,ny
more revenue ana the n.c...,,v ,or n
bond i.sus 70 mae, c.r,ain n,,hlic .x-
penses. Announced to.nirht that he had
made no Allowance In hIs calculatiop,
| for a public buildings bill 'This state-
ment practically conarms the White
House report that the President will veto
the bill II 1t ever reaches him.
Many members Of both houses who
have taken a conspicuous part In the
| fight against river and harbor and pub
lie building bills are preparing for q re.
newal of their efforts 10 put an end to
pork legislation by making omnibus
measures OF this character practically
impossible. This reform sentiment has
crystallised to marked degree since the
pork advocates have disclosed their
purpose 10 put through the Sso,00o.O0o
PUBIC buildings bill In the face OF
srowlng Ireasury dencit' whcih is giving
ADMINISTRATOR leaders much anxiety.
|. Nv" Methods Considered.
Two methods OF achieving this result
are under consideration. One ia 10 amend
the legislation to allow the President 10
veto specifc items in approDria tion hills.
espAcislly in river and ha rhor rnea sures :
aid omnibus building bills. The other
is to create a commission TO take charge
buildings or to renort mon nroiect. nj
.n~ kihd IN the Same manner that the
ooard OF army engineers now reports
upon river ana haroor projects.
Mempers OF CONGRESS In iasor OF legit-
innate river ana harbor improvements
and the erection Of necessary public
""''di"ea know that IL the pork" hun
e., ters are defeated they VIII probably sue
- blocking appropriations for much
needed public works. Representa- tive
| 'ar - sNcrih,. cha rmar Of the House
{ C,...mittss on Public Buildings, declared
/, In speech a few DAYS ago:
"lf the country districts are NOT taken
care Of WIN not bring,out a bii, 10 take
care of the great cities Of the land"
In other words. New YORK. Chicago
and other large centres where the pres,
OF public business ,s greatest cannot .x.
atde~RfiOU the banAa 0f this
Consress unless the VILLAGES nd ha no,at,
~, ne south 90, ,nnIr .nnri, :"
Tho same svsten, holds tn III. ne,
NJ river and harhnr Nils tn graa,
nor,s wbere Tho stre.r, ~ f,ra;., co,,,
msrce ,s con.tant,,, ,,o,.;ns ans - -,
i.s, IN t,a,r Sat. ,,I.ss a.. So,,,b a.,
.wa,nns are IN he drained an, tort,,ou,
,reeks and mud fats are ,Iredeed a,
tho Same time .
= vain. os s.,..,,x pro....
!
IL the President had the authority t
veto specific items In omnibus appr0
priation measures. undeservlng projects
which are nothing more than pork
";,-''' he "'m'rated and the necessar,
projects retained, according to the arKu
..smns of those who propose the lsEis
lstive reform. The contention is ais,
made that II the authority conferred
upon him by the constitutional amend
ment In broad enough he might ais,
prevent the addition OF vicious legisla
; tive riders to Appropriation bills unde
the threat Of holding up funds for th