The Washington herald., 1917-12-05
SHERIEY ABLE
SUCCESSOR TO
J.J.FITlGERALD
Ranking Majority Of House
Appropriations Committee
Fitted for Place.

Representative Swagar Sherley.
Fifth Kentucky district. who stepped
into unusual prominence yesterday as
q result OF the announcement OF the
coming resignation of Chairman John
j. Fitzgsrald, of the House Commit
tee on Appropriations, is no novice
at directing legislative machinery.
Through his Is years of continuous
service in Congress be. will be auto
usticaliy- elevated by the seniority
rule Of the majority party to the
leadership of the powerful COMMITTEES
on Appropriations. and sponsor the
Appropriations OF the billions that will
be authorized during the present ses-
ston 10 prosecSfte the war.
:. Like the, leader whom he will sue
eeed, the Kentucky statesman has
.wondeffal capacity for work. is a
master df detail. Possesses. an acute
) and lasting memory Is q finished par
fIimentarian and thnroughly. expert
! snced m athe handling OF Sbtg figures
and sorernuaental hnaBee...
Ezees ss-a Deliver.
His work on the Committee on An
preparations has not been such as to
bring HIM often into the nmeliSht- He
has been the plodder. delving into the
IoOL OI IIl111sS anu bloANh5 ~ AdNNo vi
the subjects he has been given to
handle, 80 that he has acquired a
reputation TeNen on the opposing side
Of the Housel OF being a thorough
master of any! issue he discusses and
more than a match in debate for
those not Thoroughly fortified with
solid facts and valid arguments.
His gift Of oratory has brought him
into prominence rather than his con-
structive work in committee and on
the floor Of the House in the con-
ventional but necessary task OF ex-
planning masses of figures IN ap-
preparation bills and masses Of figures
pruned from appropriation bills for
good and sufficient reason.
Sherley Is an economist. thoroughly
IN sympathy with the policies Of the
leader whom he succeeds, SO that it
is assumed he will automatically
succeed to Fitzgerald's title of
Watchdog of the Treasury"
There has been no more ardent
supporter of the administration than
the Fifth. Kentucky representative.
When Democratic leader after leader
from the South wavered in his sup
port of Individual policies of Presi-
dent Wilson. no man in Congress
stood more loyalty by the executive
ChampIoned Draft Law.
Perhaps his most notable achieve
nent of the last session was his mas
terful address favoring the selective
draft law as against the volunteer
system. 1t was he who was selected
to match the hOmely oratory and
force of Speaker Champ Clark after
the latter had taken his stand for
the volunteer system, and his vigor-
Gus exposition of the necessities and
advantages of the selectiye method
Of raising the new national army
had much to do with deciding the
issue.
The new appropriations COMMITTEES
leader was born in Louisville, KY,
November 3, ISTl. He was educated
in the public schools, and graduated
from the Louisville High School in
June, 1883. He then took up the study
OF law and graduated from the Uni
versity of Virginia, in 1891. Taking
UP the practice of law he was active
ly engaged in his profession in State
and Federal courts until his election
been elected to each succeeding Con-
greSs.
Representative Sherley had never
held public office until he was sent
to the House. He is especially we'll
known in his native State for his
ability as a constitutional lawyer,
He married April 26. 1906. Miss
Mignon Critten. of Staten Island, N.
Y. His Washington address is the
Metropolitan Club.