Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-09
SOUTH FACES FIGHT
OVER NEGRO VOTES
Congress- to Hear Plan to Reduce
Representation Because OF
Exclusion.

the Negro populatioh II 20 .;,,cs
the polls will be the subject oi ,St ;o.'S
before the ommittee on reappot.,ol,.d; aonrd;ng
a,,bc next session of Congress, accoru1he
to Congressman Isaac Siegel oil NE"
Work chairman of the committee.
NIr Seieel said last week that ne Was
mo-, committed on the new proposal 70
aoportion Representatives 10 the oou'"
only on the basis of the voting PoPIn
lation. but that he intended to hold iui'
bearinrs ON the subject. lie SAID inc
nrcsent agitation to force the Sou'n w
ncrmit Negro voting or suffer shrlnkaee
in representation had grown greatiE III
recent months. r,.s;o
Congressman Barbour OF oallorn,a,
one OF the most active hgures IN % ste
agitation for votes for Negroes III ~
Se,,,b ;s n member Of the Committee
Pcar,,or,ionment. There are nine
Northcrn Republicans and SIX Southern
Democrats on the committee, ana II Is
understood that the committee is hke9
,o recommend a bill excluding IRON tre
basis of Federal apportionment all ci''sS.S
M citizens excluded from the poils.
Tho committee will have before IT the
entire subject of reapportlOnlng the rePie-
septetion in Congress, IN ACCORDANCE
with tho final figures of this year census
which will he completed IN September.
The man in the agitation Tor TINS
change in apdortionment, based on 'lle
Negro vote. Mr.. Seigcl says, IS the heI'
Thomas G.. NJ. Birmingham OF Milford,
Xeb who appearcd before the Committee
ON Resolutions of the Republican Natl0n-
al lConventiOn and argued IN favor ol '.il5
plan. The Rev. MIR. Birmingham anu
his associates have flooded the North WIN WIN
appcals for this movement, CongITssili,I,ll ~
Siegcl said. and had gained n conslueIhoio
following He said that most oi the Nrol,a-
ganda WAS based on justice 10 the Ncsio, t
6,,, tbat thcrc were also Republicans who
obicc,cd earnestly TO the practice OF max
ine Republican Negroes, who are KEPT,
away from tho polls, the means h
increasing Democratic representation III
Congress.
According to statements made TO meh-
hers of the Committee on ReappoItioh-
ment there are some Northern Delilo-
cratic Cougressrncn who would favor
hiU of the kind described, IN spite OF
The fact that IL might reduce the South
err Democratic delegation IN Congress
by third or more.
Those in favor Of the measure have
se,Ted the present as an opportune t,ihe
for their movement, according 10 MI
SIcrcl. because Northern Democrats
as well as Republicans, have been lIIl-
tated because OF the dlspropor'lona'g
influence alleged 70 have been exefciseu
hy the South IN the House OF heple-
sentatlves and the Senate,
IN \ statement last week Congressman
SIegcl SAID: N :,
favor Of reducing the size OF the House
srorn s35 members to about 800. On
the other hand, on account OF the war,
the work of the average Congressman
mas grown out OF proportion. mere are
now 1000 900 ex-service men who are
interested in obtaining back pay; IN
War Risk Insurance matters and death
payments to families. Besides that, the
iength of time that Congress Is I'M ses-
sion IS greater than ever before. ~
has become evident that if Congress IS
10 handle the very many questions that
sre arising it viii have TO remain IN
session hereafter practically from Janu-
ary to December each year, and that
the days Of Congress beng IN session
SIN months or so are about gone.
The Congress that Is going to he
elected this year ordinarily would not
convene until December. 1921. There
isn't anv doubt in the mind OF any
thinking man but that the next Presi-
debt will have to assemble Congress In
special session as soon as he IS IN
allgirated. The result will be that, once
Congress meets, il will continue IN ses-
sion. with the exception OF few months,
until March 4, 1922.
The correspondence coming to mem
bers OF Congress Is larger than ever De-
fore One reason that correspondence
i on the increase is that the government
TODAY has undertaken to do many things
which heretofore had been done by the
various States. In addition, the publicity
gwen by the newspapers and magazines
10 what can be obtained from the govern
ment in the shape of information ADVICE
and literature has resulted IN people
writing for those things Unsettled
conditions in Europe result IN numerous
app!ications being sent to members
OF Congress regarding passports, vlses
and information about relatives abroad.
Court-martial cases and the number OF
Young BOYS under the age OF Is years
who have entered the army and navy
without the consent of their parents
have added greatly TO the Congressman
work
The average member OF Congress is
receiving from 60 TO 100 letters a day,
which REQUIRE visits to departments IN
person and considerable attention TO an
swenng mail which heretofore would
have been done by secretaries and others.
II the number Of Congressmen were re-
duced. Of course. the burdens OF each
would be increased
On the other hand, il takes about
forty minutes at the present time TO an
swef the roll call IN the House, with its
membership OF 435. That length Of time
Is taken simply on the point Of no quo
rum bv some member who feels that he has
not received some courtesy 10 which he
claims 10 b. entitled At other times
this is done for the purpose of delay.
IL happens, therefore. that on some days
from l20 10 200 minutes ere used up on
no quorum questions. II the House Is
increased Ia size IL means that the length
Of time 10 be devoted to quorum questions
and answering Of roll calls viii be in
creased.
should the House be kept on the
basis Of 21l 900 for each Congressional
district there would have TO be an addi-
ton Of about fifty members On the
other hand, il a larger figure than 211 900
Is taken several States would have to
lose part Of their representation. Maine
would have TO lose one. Iowa would
probably lose one and Indiana at least
one. Several other States would lose
Representatives These States would
not be satisfied with such disposition
Of the question.
''One Of the biggest problems that
could possibly be presented from a leg
islatlve as well as general standpoint,