The Washington times., 1919-03-19
NEWLEADERS
Of CONGRESS
KINDLY TOD.C.
Men Who viii Have Say in Wei
fare of Capital Are Broad
minded Legislators.
By BILL PRICE.

Satisfaction exists today among
well-informed washingtonians over
the manner in which Legislative lead
eIship and committee TeOrganizations
are shaping up in the next Congress,
hich now appears to be closer to an
extra session than was indicated By
FfN1oent Wilson when he asserted he
would not call one until near June l.
For the first time in many years.
the poor old District of Columbia ap-
pears to be going into the hands Of
real friends in Congress, statesmen
sympathetically and broadly inclined
as differing from the type which has
long treated the people ofthe Federal
capital as so much cattle having no
rights on the face OF the earth cX-
Sept TO be milked for taxation or
whatever else was wanted or them.
Not only is the outlook in Congress
the best that has existed, but there
rs growing u beuer understanding of
the Senator and Congressman
clearer understanding Of the Difficult
ties under which they work and a
feeling that they would be more at
home here IL more often invited to
mingle with home folks That is
shown in the recent appearance be-
fore q number of local civic organiza-
tions OF Congressman with kindly
words TO say OF the District, them
selves kindly treated by local leaders
and people.
How Things Are Shaping Up.
In the next House the chairman OF
the Committee on Appropriations will
be Congressman Good Of Iowa. He
already has announced he does not be- |
lieve In using appropriation bills as
vehicles for legislation that should
be taken up directly and separately
meaning, as far as the District is con-
cerned, that the half-and-half fight |
should be fought out openly and /
frankly on it's own merits and not at /
tached to District appropriation bills.
Its presence on such bills several times 4
has caused serious harm to the Dis
trict in the failure to put through ap-
prOpriations, owing TO the differences /
between Senate and House on this one
question.
The probable chairman Of the sub
Committee on Appropriations that
will frame the District bill is Con-
gresham Davis Of Minnesota, broad
and fair Of mind. Davis is not a man
filled with suspicious about public Of
ficials, or disposed to think them in
capable Of knowing what the District |
needs and should have. He regards
the Commissioners as the responsible
heads Of the municipal government
here and feels that their recommen-
dations as to appropriations should |
be followed as far as possible.
From this point of view alone there
is more hope for progress in the de-
velopment OF the District than has
existed for years under a method of /
quibbIinE about almost everything
for which the Commissioners, knowing 1
the local situation, asked.
MOndeH Another BuIwark.
Congressman Mondel of Wyoming,
who has been selected as leader Of
the Republican majority in the next
Congress, not only is literally in
Clfned to the District, but, with true
Western ideas Of the equality Of man,
Is for suffrage here.
Adding further to the acceptabiIity 1
Of the House personnel which will I
deal with the District are Congress
men Mapes of Michigan. who will
be chairman OF the House District
Committee. and GiIlett OF Msssachu-
setts, who has been selected for
Speaker. Mapes is a man of unusual
ability who does his own thinking
. nd along broad lines.
GilIett has spent the greater part
OF his thirty years in Congress in this
city. He is a member Of several clubs,
= at home in the atmosphere Of the
city. and has always stood for its i'm
provemcnt as emblematic Of the na- :
tton's greatness and OF the desire OF /
the people OF the nation that theirs
shall be incomparably she creates
Capital in the world
senate Organization Delayed.
The reorganization OF The Senate g.,
not completed and jhe personnel OF
the committees and subcommittee !
dealing with local subjects has not d,
been worked out All indications.
however, are that the new powers
there will be fully mindful OF Wash
:nEton's needs. and stc2dfast, as IN
g: he past, against imposition Of unfair
legislation upon the people OF the Dis
trict.
II Senator Kenyon becomes chair
man OF the District Committee there
,.-ill be satisfaction in Washington.
= hlch knows him as imbued with the
thought that the city should be main
tained on basis that viii make the
nation and the world proud Of il.