Greenwood daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1919-1926, 1920-04-15
T = = 4 = x Il 8
+ WASHINGTON :
NEWS LETTER !
By The Washington Star
Copyright 1920.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
islation By Reforming Its Meth
cd OF Procedure.
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lat1on Dy reforming 1LS meCnOd OF
procedure. The most important chan
ge would be to give the members ad
vance notice on what business was to
be transacted by the House the next
day, and to give each member at
least "a hours notice when vote was
to be taken.
This would be not only great con-
venience to the members, but it shou-
Id result in more careful consideration
and better prepared debate on the
important measures.
1t would also be of advantage to
the public, for then any person part
icularly interested in any piece of le-
gislation would be advised as to when
it would come up for action in the
House. Visitors to Washington from
all parts of the country would have
considerable valuable time for them
saved in this way, and yet have the
| pleasure and education of attending
session of the House at time when
certain measures of peculiar interest
! in their home districts were under
discussion.
The need for this reform has for
years been apparent to leaders in the
House, both democratic and republi-
can. Champ Clark, for eight years
/ speaker, and now the democratic floor
leader, has frequently called attention
to the desirability of modifying the
House procedure SO as to insure some
advance notice being regularly given
of the business to be transacted. Clar-
ence Cannon, parliamentarian for
Speaker Clark, who is now preparing
the new compilation of "Precedents,"
says that his experience has shown
him that nothing causes so much con-
fusion and delay in the proceedings Of
the House as this lack of a program
of procedure. Only the other day
during a bit of partisan debate, Rep
resentative Philip Campbell of Kan
lsas, chairman of the rules committee,
also approved the suggestion. -
Representative Walton Moore of
Virginia has started campaign for
this reform, receiving, the earnest
support of those members who are
recognized as expert parliamentar-
ians.
On the occasion that Chairman
Campbell of the rules committee en-
dorsed the proposal, Representative
Moore referred to the practice in 9TH
er legislative bodies which recognize
the Importance of such advance notice
: being provided. For instance, in the
English House of Commons, as stat
ed in Erskine's Treaties, "On the
the morning following sitting of the
House, the record of the transactions
of the previous day, styled Votes
and Proceedings is delivered at each
members residence, together with the
Notice Paper of the House, which
contains the appointed business for
the next day of sitting, both private
and public" AS the House Of Com
mons meets late in the afternoon, the
> Notice Paper reaches the members in
time to sufficiently inform them OF
!. the business that will be transacted
that day.
In the French Chamber of Deputies
!, the practice, as stated in the rule
l which is quoted by Bernard, is that
"The Chairman, before declaring the
session adjourned, consults the Cham
ber as to the day, time and subjects
for debate at it's next session. The
order of the day, so determined, is
!. posted up in the Chamber of Deputie:
Building, and published in the Off
cial Gazette" Similarly the practice
in other foreign legislative bodies
might be quoted, but the English ant
French methods may be regarded as
typical.
The method of the American Con
gress, as Representative Moore ane
the parliamentarians complain, is
wholly and inexcusably different. Tn
}, der the procedure of the House, it i
e common practice to enter upon tn
t consideration of public measures, AM
e often those of the greatest import
: ance, without any previous notic'
$ whatever to the membership. Their
n is nothing in the rules and nothing i
e the arrangement or observance of tn
Z calendars" to prevent this; and ther
+ seems to be general opinion in tn
It House and among those who are a
all familiar with the business of Con
g gress that steps ought to be taken T
lel prevent it.
IS How this works q hardship on th
+ members can be easily illustrated
= The members are jealous to miss n
= roll-calls, and especially on matter
r-l in which their constituents are inter
= lested. The forced vote recently on q
Al overriding the Presidents veto on th
4 prohibition question found many mem
+ bers absent. New Jersey Is now stand
ms forth = the leading out-ana-cu