Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-28
OF
G. @. P. IN HOUSE
ABOUT TO BREAK
Steering Committee Tactics
Force Members to De-
fend Selves.
IE DEVELOPMENTS
SOME

WASHINGTON. Jan. 2S.-For months
mem oers of the house of representatives
have awaited the revolution which threat
erEd to overturn the rpublican steering
committee. Just now, more than ever
before, the revolution seems imminent for
many reasons, the chief Of which is that
republican member find themselves I'M
able to obtain for their constituencies
any of the legislation promised In their
prediction campaigns.
The recent developments which stand
out so plainly as marking the food-tide
Of the revolutionary movement, are
these:
Republicans in general, and especially
several republican members of the house
promised to give consideration to soldier
reward legislation. For the third time
now the steering committee has ordered
that no member shall discuss such legis-
lation on the floor, and has advised that
the question be put off indefinitely by
the appointment of a general and special
committee to consider all proposals in
the house.
NAVY BILLS
ALSO SUFFER.
Republican leaders on naval affairs
promised that inducements would be of
AtACN hlE ~ AcLldlu III lnc navy anu
thus the floating death trap" of which
Maj. Gen. Wood spoke, and which he de-
scribed as a navy without men, would De
avoided. The republican members OF the
naval affairs committee considered the
question for months and then reported a
bill increasing the pay of men. Within
a few hours and with only slight con
sideration, the naval affairs committee
was ordered to withdraw the bill and
provide only for salary increases for en-
listed men and warrant officers. They
were quietly advised the senate would
reinstate provisions for increasing sal
aries of commissioned officers, and that
then the house could approve these pro-
visions. In the meantime a record for
economy" in the house would be made.
Republican members of the rivers ana
harbors committee considered the annual
appropriation bill for four months and
then prepared to report a bill calling for
appropriations of upward of $~20,O00,0OO.
The members knew to appropriate less
would result in loss of all that has been
accomplished in river and harbor i'm
provements, and this Just at the time the
Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio and Brack
Warrior rivers and the mary harbors
were being used for navigation. Not a
member of the steering committee heard
this evidence, and yet in twelve hours
tie committee members were advised 20
retire with their proposals and that not
more than 100000 should be appro-
prfated.
Members of the ways and means com
mittee entered upon a hearing relative
to a loan of $50, OO 10000 to prevent thou
sands of deaths occurring daily in Aus
trla, Poland and Armenia. Republican
cOmmitteemen were opposed to the loan,
ItftF vrhOn Fh, &c CvfIA--- -
before them they realized they never
could tell American mothers and fathers
they would not appropriate Ibis money,
and they met to approve this appropri,
alton. In ten hours the steering COM
mittee, without information, ordered that
bill be not approved.
Republicans on the foreign affairs com
mittee were advised to hold hearings on
the Mason resolution, which would have
provided money for q minister to the re
public of Ireland, and thus would have
recognized Ireland as an Independent re
public. These men, including Chairman
Porter, have been asked by their Irish
friends to abide by their promise to get
the resolution on the floor. The repub-
lican steering committee refused to per
NIT the resolution to be reported and Mr..
Porter Is forced to dodge continuously.
Republican members of the judiciary
IOLnLl4ltEC, Win EIGdL thLnuCtdcW uLdILCu
a sedition bill, as 1t seemed the legisla-
ton would be popular. When it was
cen how drastic the legislation was the
public mind became infamed against it
and the steering committee ordered the
resolution ard the bill buried, and the
members Of the judiciary committee who
publicly advocated the legislation were
left high and dry.
AND ONLY THE
uTcH TVcHTSs
To recount all the legislation proposed
by members and legislation in strict &C
cordance with republican prediction
promises which have been buried because
the steering committee will not permit
it to be reported, would take columns,
but these are the high lights. No mem
Der can now propose the most simple
Piece of legislation unless first he has
appeared before the steering committee
and received permission to represent the
people who elected him.
The revolution is imminent. All that is
required now is q caucus, and members
who proposed soldier Legislation and who
are insisting on abiding by election
promises propose now to have that eau
Gus called. The steering committee Is
threatening every member who suggests
n caucus and believes it has the revolu-
ton conquered. What the next few
NGGhS Will uOIu III store Is a mdLLeE OF
great interest in the house, and of con
siderable interest to the people who be-
Iieve they have representatives in con-
gress other than the steering committee.
The conditions explain to some extent
why only a dozen or so members of the
more than 400 In the body appear on
the floor with any regularity. Ask any of
the members the reason for his absence
and he will reply by asking, What is
the use?"
The members of the steering committee
are Representative Winslow of Massa-
chusetts. Representative Dunn of New
York, Representative Longworth Of Ohio,
Representative Madden of Illinois, Rep
resentatiye Frank w. Mondell of wy
Oming, republican floor leader, is the
guiding hand, as he is an ex-officio mem
Der, and Speaker Gillette, also an ex-
officio member, sits In occasionally.