South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-06-01
SWEET Gent Of
PORK BARREL
FILLS NOSTRILS
Congressman, as Well as Sen
atorS, Are Taking Long
BreathS in Anticipation.
BY LOUIS LUDLOW

WASHINGTON. ID. c.. May H.
The sweet smell OF pork waited in
the circumamblent breeze that sur
round the United States capitol mas
made a profound impression on the
olfactory nerves OF many of the
members Of the new congress. There
are unmistakable signs that what is
known as the pork barrel element
is getting busy and that the country
Will soon witness "a recurrence Of
the old connict between those mem
bers Of congress who have a sort Of
religious conviction that IL is the
first duty Of congressman 10 get
ont OF the federal treasury every
dollar ne can for the benefit of his
local district and those who believe
That economically administered gov
eminent is the first duty of the par
~ IN power
Rep. John " Langley of Ken
lucky is one or the Leaders OF the
element that believes in getting
while the getting is good. In the
new congress now organized Lang
ley IS the chairman Of the house
committee on public buildings and
grounds committee that has in
itiated more pork barrel raids than
any other committee in congress.
The first effort in the direction Of
relieving the federal treasury of its
cash will be the formulation and
Introduction by Rep Langley COM
mittee Of an omnibus public build
ing bill.
Fine for Another.
Yes said Rep. Langley today.
there will be an omnibus public
building bill at this session 1t
proba bIy will carry about 10000.
600 when il is reported ont OF the
committee. 10 has been cirht years
since an omnibus public Building
bin was passed and il is time for
another"
When asked If the bill will con
tain only emergency" propositions.
where the need for relief is obvious.
Rep. Langley said it will go farther
and embrace propositions for new
buildings
II is learned from various sources
that this new bill is 90 be framed
according TO the weI-known old
time scientific pork barrel methods
In other words. the really pressing
emergency propositions will be in
serted in tho pork barrel bill as a
means OF bolstering up the various
pork grabs which the bin will con
tain.
Many Uurgent Bills.
There are pending q number o.
really urgent building schemes
which ought 20 pass. such. for I'M
stance. as she construction or new
buildings At Lima. o.. and TT
Wayne. Ind. where the need OF inn
mediate relief is very great such
propositions should he segregated
and put through as separate cmer-
gency measures but this is not per
mitted The committee viii not re-
port them as separate propositions
They are needed-vita1ly needed
10 strengthen the omnibus bin that
Is 20 be brought in later and 10 give
n = show OF respeCta bilitv.
The activity Of the pork-barreI
element is getting on the nerves OF
many Of the republican leaders who
r' " "tiN4poN tiidt LNt party ellt-t NOT
wreck itself on the rock or extrava o.
gance right 40 the beginning OF its
restoration 70 power in congress
These leaders saw there is nothing
that would please the democratic
politicians more than for the re-
sponsible party in congress 10 pile
up mountains OF debt through pork
barrel legislation and thus furnish
the democrats a n-eeded ISSUE for the
campaign Of next year
II is believed that VIII r. HAYS
republican national chairman. lis
Keeping an eve on DEVELOPMENTS
and that If the activity of the pork
bar elers reaches a point where il
threatens party welfare ne viii ind
a way 20 call a halt