The Washington herald., 1918-04-19
Let Congress get busy"


Put some ginger into Congress.
Congress is moving slower now
than 1t did when war was first de-
clared-spur it on"
These are some Of the thoughts
gathered in stories recently appearing
from the pens OF well-known Wash
ington writers in papers which they
represent.
Doubtless all OF the writer's alluded
TO were earnestly desirous of helping
Congress with it's work, and of get
ting quicker results on legislation now
pending or likely to be introduced be-
fore adjournment is reached. But the
writer's forget some very important
things in connection with Congress
They forget that work Of the officers
the departmental calls and routine
business-has increased tremendously
since the war began. and that Repre-
sentatives and even many Senators
are forced to make an infinitely larger
number of calls on the departments
for their constituents.
This takes time and requires the
in and day out, when they should be
giving attention to the larger mat
ters pending in either House.
The folks back home, however. will
not be put off-and the members do
not want to put them off. They want
to attend to the matters laid before
them by their soldier constituents
and relatives of soldiers and they
want to do those things up in good
shape. This takes time and brings
drags on the Congressional program
which it Is not possible to prevent
This Is one big cause of dragging
legislation. If the members had moth
ing to do but pass on the matters
brought before them on the floor Of
each House there would be a great
deal accomplished in a little while.
II this work and committee work con-
stituted the only outlets for Con-
gressional activity the members could
dispose of it fairly quickly and could
adjourn and go home.
The increased outside work Of Con-
gress brings up again the suggestion
made in this column some time ago
that each district should have a man
detailed to Washington to do pre-
Cise1y the things the Representatives
have to do. The innovation would be
a strange one, true enough. and 1t
might be unavailing from some an
giles. but there is need of such an
individual to attend to these mat
ters. thus releasing the Representa-
tives and Senators for real legisla-
tive work on the hill.
Many secretaries, who are given the
support of their chiefs, can accom-
plish many things the Senators and
Representatives would accomplish.
But not all secretaries can do this.
and not all of them get the respect
full attention from departmental Of
ficiaIs that their chiefs can.
There is work for the extra man and
IL he could be endowed with powers to
compel department officers to respect
him a ponderous load would be taken
off the members of Congress and a
general speeding up of legislation
would result.
They are still keeping George Creel
going for that statement about his
Joy being unconfined because Amer
ica was not prepared when she en-
tered this struggle. The indications
are that many men on the other side
are not as glad Of this as Mr.. Creel
was. They make no bones about
saying they would have enjoyed
their experiences somewhat better If
they had felt America was not only
better prepared when she entered the
conflict, but had, in fact. carried
on her preparations with somewhat
more ginger after she actually en-
tered the war.
1t appears that men who were not
backward about dealing harshly with
those who urged America to get into
the war with more efficiency and
less red tape now are to the front
in urging speed. speed and yet more
speed.
They are slowly joining the men,
beTs who objected because things
were dragging. There is every sign
and every admission. in fact. on the
hill, that the tonic of criticism ap-
piled at the time IT was was badly
needed. and has brought about great
changes which make US stronger for
the battle against the enemy
There are interesting developments
on the housing sit.'Htion which should
be given considerable attention at
the hands of Congress. But the
great thing TO, remember is that the
houses must be brought into exist