The Washington herald., 1920-10-29
EXPERT STUDY
OF TAX NEEDED,
jASSERTSKAHN
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

ing citizens acting in conjunction
with Senators and Congressman.
The best ability and ,ripest ex-
perience OF the country could be,
called upon and would surely be
found ready to serve. 1t should
come to be looked upon as a dis
tinguished honor to be asked by
Congress to act as one of its in
strumentalities, and the resulting
sense of responsibility and Of pub
lie duty and trust should-and
have no doubt would-cause those
thus selected and honored to- give
service wholly free from the bias
Of self interest. Such committees
might be composed of say five non
once holding members and six or
seven Senators and Congressman.
great part of the work could be
done without necessitating the con-
tinuing attendance of the legisla-
tive members. --..
Source of Reliable Information.
The reports emanating from the
deliberations of the committee
would. it may be hoped, come to be
regarded as sources of reliable in
formation to the public on social
and economic subjects and If the
committees are wisely selected and
rightly conceive their functions,
their conclusions would surely come
to have the public's confidence for
impartiality and competency, irre-
spective of party Affiliations. They
ought also to make it easier for the
political parties to have the courage
of facing squarely and dealing,
without too much zigzagging. and
compromising, with questions Of a
non-political nature; because the
parties could point to the backing
of the reasoned judgment Of par
ticularly expert and trustworthy
men without political axes to grind.
An incidental advantage of con-
siderable value would be thus to
bring together representative men
of different callings and from differ
ent sections of the country in con-
ference and exchange of views with
each ether and with Senators and
Representatives. ID
Washington q Handicap.
One OF the handicaps OF our po-
( litical arrangements-a more Sc
rious one, believe. than is gener-
ally recognized. is the fact that our
Capital is not, as are the other prin-
cipal capitals Of the world. a great
commercial city, but is located, fig
uratively speaking, on a backwater,
away from the fast-fowing currents
OF commerce and industry and their
attendant activities.
1t is a city largely OF function
| aries. politicians, former officials
and officeseekers. heavy with the
| atmosphere OF politics, peculiar in
the subtle influence OF its spirit
upon those who come within its or
bit, and pervaded. as no other cap
ital I know. with the flavor Of
! things governmental - ma" Na
hoped that the intercourse which
would flow out OF the measure I
! have suggested would go a certain
| length toward mitigating q =
fects Of the 'insUlarity" Of Wash
I ington.
Commissions Urged.
| 1t is part of my suggestion that
| such commissions should be select
I ed and appointed not by the execu-
| tive. but by Congress acting through
| the president of the Senate and the
Speaker OF the House, or in some
| other suitable way. Experience has
| shown that the findings of COM
missions appointed by the execu-
! tive, whether Federal or State, have
| rarely been of great influence with
/ the legislatures and are apt to meet
! on the part OF their members with
I certain degree OF prejudice or
even antagonism. I should be hope
| full that commissions designated and
| directed by Congress and contain
/ ing a proportion Of Senators and
Representatives, would prove more
I effective, and that their views and
| recommendation would receive a
! more propitious reception. The de-
cision and responsibility as to leg
/ islation would. of course, rest no
/ less than now with the Congress IS
and the President.