The Washington times., 1920-11-19
2COMMITTEES
ALLPOWERFUL
Congress viii centraIize Con-
troll of u. S. Funds In En-
larged Delegations.
By JOHN SNURE.

ConeTsss hereafter.
The policy of eentering the sppro-
priations business In two committees
will be started this winter befosi, the
session Is well under way.
WILL AMEND RULES.
The Senate. following the lead Of
| the House. which took such action
ct the close Of last session, 10 en-
pected 60 adopt an amendment to the
rules whereby II will proceed, In &C
rrrdanee with the principles OF the
budget plan.
Eject Of the amendment to the
rules would be to take from the diff
terent Senate committee. except the
Appropriations Committee. which
now have jurisdiction over appropris-
tlon bills, their authority In this re-
spect ana transfer the entire task
OF dealing with the estimates and
appropriations to the Appropriations
Committee. The Appropriations Com
nittee would be enlarged In order 20
Unable II to perform the huge task
allotted Ia Il.
Senator Curtis Of Kansas, prorni.
pont on the Senate Appropriations
Committee, a man who has given
much study to appropriations. will
offer q resolution for an amendment
to the rules at the outset OF the sss-
sion for tho purpose Of expanding the
authority Of the Appropriations Com
nittec IN the manner indicated and
enlarging II. While the plan strips
much power from certain other COM
mittees, such a. Military. Naval, In
dian. Agriculture, and Postotncea, Il
In believed the resolution OF Senator
Curtis will be adopted.
ENLARGE HOUyH CoMMTTTEE.
About the end OF last ssssion, when
Il was assumed the budget measure
would be signed BY the President and
become law. the subject Of enlargias
the House Appropriations Committsc
and giving It power over all the Ap-
publican leaders decided to pass II
without reference to whether Prssi-
dent Wilson signed or vetoed the
budget bill. The President vetoed
the budget bill. but the House wsn'
ahead With its plan for single ap-
propriating committee, tho rules
were changed accordingly and now
all that remains tor the House to
do is to, select the additional members
OF tho committee The House in
creased membership OF the Appropria-
ions Committee from twenty-ons to
thirty-fiye, thus adding fourteen
members. They will have to be So
lectsd soon after the House meets in
December.
Incidentally, Il Is predicted there
viii be some sharp clashing Of ambi
tionS when, II comes to adding to the
tions Committee, No doubt this will
DO true Of tho Senate Appropriation.
Committee, provided Senator Curtis
gets his proposed amendment to the
rules through.
PAVE WAY FOR BUDGET,
Object Of the change Is to get the
way paved for carrying out the bud
get plan which leaders In Congress
calculate will Be in full operation
early in the new administration,
Passage Of the budget bill whereby |
the Government estimates would be |
by. the executive branch |
will probably not como about this win |
ter. Inasnfuch ae President Wilson
vetoed one budget bill. many OF the
leaders do not want to put
another one :'o to him. II it goes
over witho'S action this session II
will doubtless be passed early in the
extra session. Once that Is done the
eBLHHdteH ~Ouiu NTSI Oe CO-OEulnAIeV
by the executive branch: they would
then go to one committee in the
House, the Committee on Appropria
tions. and when passed by the Hous.
they would go to the enlarged Senate
Committee on Appropriations.
WILL TEND TO ECONOMY.
Unless the advocates Of the budget
,<ystem are all In error. the new plan
will result in cutting out many du-
plication in expenditures and In saw
ing money for the taxpayers In fact,
the single appropriations committee
plan for House and Senate will tend
strongly to the elimination OF dup'i-
cations and TO economy.
Senator Warren OF Wyoming is
now the chairman OF the Senate Ap-
preparations Committee. He will be
the chairman Of the enlarged COM
nIittee also. provided II Is enlarged.
The enlarged committee. with its ex-
pnnded Jurisdiction, will In some re-
spects be the most powerful commit
tee In the Senate and places upon
it will be eagerly sought. II IL as
sumed Congressman Good will remain
chairman OF the enlarged House Ap-
propriations Committee. II the Curtis
resolution goes through, II 10 safe TO
say that Senator Warren and Con-
gressman Good, as heads Of the com
mittees that pass on all the big sup
ply bills, will be among the outstand-
ing leaders In Congress. In certain
respects they will be In position to
DO the most influential figures at the
Capitol.
MAY MEAN CURTAILMENTs.
This new scheme for dealing with
the appropriations may make q vast
difference In expenditures allowed for
tho army and navy. and result in much
curtailment OF tho army bill and the
navy bill. The Appropriations Com
mitree members are likely to look
with much less sympathy on the army
and navy estimates than the Military
Committee and tho Naval Committee
members. For instance, a member
serving on the Military Committee OF
House or Senate for years IL apt to
acquire sympathy for the army and
TO look at things in much the same
Fashion ss the army officers who sub
NIT large estimates for military needs.
Tho Appropriations Committee mem-