The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-11-20
CONGRESS RECESS
At PRESENT ONLY
NEGLECT Of DUTY
Representative Byrns Says It
Is Plain ShiftIeSSneSS for
SolonS to Go Home With So
Many Measures Pending.

WASHINGTON, Nov. .s.-'If con-
gress a recess, as the Republican
leaders are bending every effort to do,
1t will be at the expense OF duty" de-
clared Representative Joseph w. Byrns.
Of Tennessee, ranking Democratic mem
Der Of the house appropriations COM
mittee today.
The necessity for congress remain
ing on the job and attending to the
business that Is pressing for attention
is just as great or greater now than 1t
was last March and April, when Re-
dent Wilson to v congress- con-
tinued Mr.. Byrns. Not only a con-
gress accomplished very little in the
way of legislation, so that 1t should
remain on the job and enact such bills
as ought to be passed, put the present
disturbed condition OF the country, by
reason of the industrial unrest, is such
that congress ought TO not only be
willing, but anxious to stay In session,
for II Ia not possible to tell what may
arise to demand speedy attention,
Congress Does Nothing.
This congress has been In session
six months now, but has passed very
little legislation" said Mr.. Byrns, ut
passed some amendments TO the food
control bill, but not without several
months of delay and only after such
amendments had been urged by the
president and Attorney-Genera Palmer,
And even then the president had TO in
intervene to prevent congress taking a
recess before enacting the needed leg
islation. And even though the presl-
lent asked last August that the amend
ments to the food control bill be passed,
so that the government might deal with
the high cost Of living problem in an
effective way, and incidentally prose-
cute those who had been guilty OF
profiteering, 1t was late in October be-
fore they finally reached the president
and only within the last 10 days that
congress made available to the depart
ment of justice the appropriation need
ed to go after profiteers and also con-
duct a campaign against the Reds.
1T has only been after consideration
by committees that has continued over
six months that a railroad bill has been
reported out, to be called up in the
house or Tuesday OF this week.
think congress ought to stay in ses-
sion and, Il possible, enact the needed
railroad legislation before the special
session must end in December. II the
adjournment the leaders have been try
ing so hard to reach were ordered &C
cording to their plans, this legislation
couldn't be enacted, because the SEN
ate hasn't shown signs Of finishing
with the peace treaty at a very early
date and the railroad bin can't be taken
up over there until the treaty Is out
Of the way. And the senate ought to
give the railroad bill very deliberate
and mature consideration, for 1t is GER
tainly far too important a matter to be
No Money Saved.
Figures that Mr.. Byrns, as ranking
minority member Of the appropriations
committee, have prepared show that
the Republican claim Of having saved
the country money in the annual ap,,
appropriations for the current fiscal
year approximate ST. $50, 000, 900. The
departmental aspirations such as army.
navy, District Of Columbia, Indian.
sundry civil and others, were passed
by the present congress almost identi-
cally as they passed the house in the
last congress, which was Democratic,
only to be Killed by the Republican fill
buster in the senate. Mr., Byrns' fig
ures show that, as a matter of fact.
the Republican congress has increased
| these appropriations by $50, 600, 900. in
stead OF the $40. 900, 900 Increase shown
so days ago, so that the extravagance
is growing, That. said Mr.; Byr1s, Is
| March to the national treasury. Some
Of the alleged savings, to which the Re
publican house leaders laid claim, were
made by cutting down the departmental
appropriations and then make w the
difference In what Is known as aAde-
ficiency bill, which has just been passed
and which appropriates $lb0, 000, 900 not
to mention the appropriation of $780,
600, 900 for the railroad administration,
against which Republicans protested in
the Democratic congress, only to max
available, after they had come into the
| control Of congress.