The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-03-20
CONGRESS NEEDS
PRIORITY BOARD
DELAYS in Legislation Causing
Regretted SIackenlng OF
War Program.
WOULD CUT OUT RED TAPE
Wilson Urges Measure Making
Executive End of Govern
ment More Flexible.


ee.onvrinht. 1915, by New York Even
ing Post
Washington. March 1s.--hvsry ones
i, . Will, there 10 ar outburst fror'
soma one IN congress who points TO
iretfioieney and delay in the executive
and war.r,akina branches OF the gov
ernment
Through some peculiar Difference on
tho part Of the executive oihoialN'
however, thoy deliver thomHclvcr OF no
outbursts against the lepislatlvo body.
which Ia CO. -ordnatcly responsible
with them for the success Of the war.
For the fact iS today that thero
oupht to be an Investigation OF whnt
congress In doing or rather whht IL IL
not doing For six weeks President
Wilron has been begging congress Tor
losislation that viii enable him 10
consolidate bureaus. transfer DIVISIONS
and generally mako the executive 'h"
~ the government n flexible inslttu-
,io, lilo wnnts no additional SUP
siantiy, power, but authority 10 dis-
tribute and rearrango such powers M
ho already possesses. lilo wants 10 DC
able TO cut red tape,
II waa as n result Of tho agitation
for n war cabinet In January thht tno
Oyermnn bin was introduced on ftp'
g. and presumably the same nc"d Tor
efficiency In the executive hiah'h q.
the government exists now hH oNlHt""
then. But congress has moved leisure
~ along.
only after nenrly n months Discus
sion IL the OVerman bill about frady
for n report 20 tho senate. The judlcl D..
airy committee met Monday. scFel"'
amendments were accepted, ana 1t was
agreed that today the consideration OF
tho measure would be renewed.
The bin viii lie reported to the sen q
ate in "a day or two. Then there must
bo time for debate and. OF course
when the senate gets through TN"
anne process must cnsue IN the mouse.
where already speeches like mat OF
Repreaontnuvr l.ohgworth. republican
OF Ohio. Indicate that there are break o.
era ahead.
What IL more important today TO
tho war program than the housing OF
workmcnr Billions of dollars have
been appropriated 10 build new plants
for war purposes. and after the al
miuiHtration amy -dailicd along win
out making provision for tn" Hhrltet
OF employees tho congress prolongs the
delay by teChnlcalitles Of procedure.
First tho house committee on mer-
chant marine took up tho question.
held long hearings ana reported To N"
house. Then the house committee on
puhltc buildings argued that the mcr-
chant marine committee had no jurls q
dictiou. aud the whole problem uHd
10 be Investigated anew by the sec
ond committee.
Finally a report Was made and now
the measure ia on the house chlcn n-
dnr. where II Is tied az. tn" lcglsia b
tive and executive appropriation hlli'
which could have been delayed. since
It's appropriations 10 .ut become 'l-
fective until July anyway. has
taken up time that could have been
given 20 the bin providing homes Tor
wOrkmcn.
The trouble - that there IS no
priority committee ~ congress, no
uroup ot men 20 decide what leg
islation ought 20 be passed 81
once. regardless Of WHISTLER q -
hrat or last on the ealenaar'
Congress let's all things take thsr
course and ehairmen of commit
tee. who are anxious 20 oct their
own work done 20 the exclusion OF
other busineas frequently cannot
be ovsrr,ddsn By any higher au'
thority
Instead OF d VAR cabinet 10 decide
What things ought % Ice done nr1t az
tho executive sn1 ~ the tumtnI
there Is need for some Kind OF steer 10