Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-06-21
A GLANCE AT THE "INVISIBLE
GOVERNMENT"

BY Frederick j. Haskin.

oehC !" 1HC -
eminent" has become one of the most evident
and striking features of the Washington scene.
For the term has always been applied to lob
bies and lobbyists. and there are now over 100
Hobbies in Washington, most of which have Of
fees and telephone numbers, and are open to
visitors, and will tell any honest enquirer Just
what they want of congress and how they hope
to get it.
The right of any citizen or group of citizens
to come to Washington and petition congress. or
any member thereof, for what they want, is in
disputable. All the excitement about invisible
governments has been based upon the assump-
ton that the lobbyist is one who employs secret
and corrupt methods to influence congress.
1t cannot be denied that a congressman who is
open to corruption can probably find someone to
corrupt him, and this situation will probably
never change until all congressman become alb
solutely honest. But the fact that there may be
some dishonest congressman and some dishonest
lobbyists, it is urged, should not be made the
occasion for trying to make a scandal out OF
every honest and open effort to influence con-
gress by argument and a show OF voting
strength. 49,
Eight years ago there was great excitement
when congress set out to investigate lobbyists.
Weeks and weeks of testimony followed the
adoption of the resolution of investigation. SEN
sation after sensation, some real, some forced,
were sprung on the public. Many p~rofessed to see
the two branches of congress clutched tight In
the t~entacles OF the mysterious, monstrous oc,
topus, invisible government" Senator's and
representatives, many were given to bel1eVe,
were at the beck and call of the interests. Con-
gress was a sord1d thing, It's members III the pay
of great corporations.
All of this nonsense blew up shortly afterward,
when the net result of the investigation simmer
ed down to the besmirching of a lone member
of the House, out of a total membership OF 4So,
the disclosure that a negro employee at the
Capitol had received $40 a month to reveal to a
certain lobbyist the names of the people who
were received by the chairman OF a powerful
House committee, and the publication OF an
enormous report which nobody succeeded III
reading all the way through.
After that the grim spectre of invisible gov
now IS it BEGINNING pss n to lift its head a little bit.
There is some revival of talk OF lnsldlous lop-
bies operating in Washington. but these under-
ground methods have no chance of accomplish
ing ANYTHING OF value in CONF petition with the
frank and open Hobbies maintained here by great
groups the country over.
The farmers, manufacturers, organized labor,
ex-service men, and scores of other groups have
their national organizations, and almost without
exception have legislative agents. In very many
cases these organizations are going openly to cen
gress and organizing blocs of senator's ana rep
resentatives who represent states and districts
where labor is strong, or where the FARMER IS
| strong. These men are being pledged to sup
port certain legislative programs. There is little
or nothing secret about it. Often pubic an
nouncement is made OF the organization OF THESE
groups in congress.
True, there have been revelations in the past
of state legislatures having been corrupted py
the use of money. For Il great many years ths
congress of the United States has been, or should
have been immune to this suggestion or thought
on account of the size of its membership.
Congress in the Movies.
Despite this being obviously ridiculous, Wash
ington was recently half entertained. half DIS
| 2lStGQ. DIV a IQOllOH picture ddSS tiSCA az SNO
ing up the inside of official life in Washington.
In this, Of course. a brand new congressman IS
the hero, standing stalwart and virtuous IN OPP
position to the hydra.headed monster OF grail
and corruption. Unaided except by ms SILVER
tongue and sterling character, this youth FORCES
through congress the measure which throws the
ranks of the predatory interests into aWiul con,
fusion, and completely defeats their care1ul
plans. Such scenes as representatives or these
same interests entertaining great droves or sem
ators and representatives at dinners are SHOWN,
and each member of congress, always excepting
the hero, Is not surprised to find a dol
lar bond under his plate, which he pockets with
out surprise or comment, and devotes ms ener-
gies to gulping down a few quarts OF contrapaho
liquor, provided by the host.
This picture of Washington life as 1t Is not
and never has been was laughed OH tne scIeen
here in short order. 1t is fully realized that
there are specimens here and there or dlshohest
congressman. just as there are dishonest law
yers, brick layers, or doctors.
How Modern IObbicS Work.
But the lobby of today is not trying any such
antiauated method as that depicted in the movie.
/ These organizations go openly and 1rankiy 10
the TENDERS of congress whose interests shouiu
coincide with theirs. They endeavor and gem
erallv succeed in convincing these men that the
legislation their constituents desire IS the saint
program for which this lobby is working. Ihey
convince members OF congress that oIly 10y
openly combining with others whose minds run
along with theirs, and publishing the fact to tnt
world, can congressional leaders be brought to
serious consideration Of the legislative programs
to which these blocs are committed.
However, with the idea tnat there may De
some of the old-fashioned lobbying. golns
on, that senators and representatives might DC
exposed to corrupt influences, two measures
have already been introduced in the senate dur
ing the present session. One was sponsored o,
Senator Overman, of North Carolina, II ~
other by Senator Kenyon, OF Iowa. a. i,
Under the present system or loppyins, ~ /
doubtful IL congress will get itself sufticiently IN
terested in either of these measures TO pass theH
during the present extra session.