Evening star., 1920-11-14
LEAGUE FOR PEACE ONE OF MANY
PROBLEMS AWAITING MIR. HARDING

republicans have echoed the utterance Of Elihu
Root, made in tho beginning OF the treaty
fight. that there are too many things OF in
estimable value to humanity in tho idea OF
league Of nations to abandon 1t altogether
This view is shared by many republican sena-
tors. as shown by their speeches. The atti-
tude Of the recently elected republican sena-
tors will soon be manifest
Even Senator Knox Of Pennsylvania. who Is
being consts ntly mentioned as the possible
Secretary Of State. has in his speeches indicated
willingness to discuss an association or ma
tions-aside from the consideration Of the
treaty Of peace. One Of his resolutions pro-
posed to relegate the subject to future consid
Grafton. showing that he had not discarded it.
+ X \
Democrats in Congress are basing hope of
dissension in the republican party. with con-
sequent benefit to the democratic party. upon
expectation that the republicans. flushed with
power and authority by reason of their great
victory may revert to some OF their policies
Of the past and re-establsh semblance Of the
old autocratic rule Of the House Of Representa-
tives by few Inquiry among republicans
does not countenance this fond desire. While
It is true that some thoughtful statesmen have
laid the increase of usurpation@ Of power by
the executive to the abandonment OF the old
system. where the Speaker Of the House
welded influence second only to that of the
President the system under which the House
is now organized and it's committees created
is too firmly grounded in popular favor to be
easily overthrown by any ambitious "czar" or
group of men seeking undue authority.
The caucus will remain the source Of power
in the House. The Speaker, now as heretofore,
will be elected by the House but selected In
caucus. The committee assignments will be
apportioned. in the new House as in the pres
ent body, by a committee committees chosen
by the caucus In the new House that COM
mittee now consisting Of thirty-six. will COM
prise additional numbers by reason of the
fact that more state delegations win contain
republicans. as result OF the November land
slide Each state which has one more re-
publicans on its delegation win be entitled
to one man on the committee on committees
That individual will have votes equivalent to
the number of republicans in the delegation.
The steering committee. named by the
caucus, consists Of the Speaker and six others
the Speaker not entitled to vote. This COM
mttee will outline a program Of legislation
and order of procedure on bills. but It is always
subject to being overruled by the House.
The best judgment Of men Of prominence In
the House is that there need be no fear OF
return to autocratic domination. nor even ma
terial diminishing Of the present popular rule
4 *&*
President Wilson vetoed the bill creating
the budget system. in the closing hours of
the last session of Congress, but. notwith-
standing, one of the main features of a budget
system is even now in operation, although
that fact may have been widely overlooked in
the press Of political affairs engaging. the at
tention of the public the national conven-
tions approached.
A resolution was passed by the House ap-
plying to its own procedure strictly. increas-
ing the membership of the committee on ap-
propriations to thirty-fve members and pro-
yiding that all measures relating to the ap-
propria ton of the revenue for the support OF
government shall hereafter be referred to that
committee, The other committees. which have