The Washington herald., 1921-02-15
JEALOUSIES MAY.
BE GIVEN VENT ON
D.C.FUND MEASURE
Powers Conforming to
Budget Plan Given Com
mittee May Halt Action.
By FLOYD MONTGOMERY.

The first real clash over the new
order in the House by which the
Appropriations Committee was en-
largedrand given all apprOpriating
powers to conform to the proposed
national budget system, is expected
today when the conference report
on the District appropriation BILL
the first Of the supply measures, is
taken up.
Sporadic Outbursts of smouldering
resentment have occurred from time
70 time Since the beginning Of the
session, when the budget committee
was organized, but the real test has
been delayed pending the arrival OF
conference reports.
As the result of jealousy on the
part of members of the seven major
committees who surrendered their
arpropriating powers, every money
hin brought out by the new budget
committee has been denuded of all
Sc emhlanCe Of legislation, regardless
Of merit or necessity for the items.
Many Items added.
tTaa Senate, however, has restored
lr4ua4Iy all the legislation and has
added sdditiOnal items. The 400
znAIahers Of the House who are not
on. the Appropriations Committee,
conteBd that this is a usurpatiOn of
The Cosstitution-given powers of the
House, providing that appropriation
measures must all originate in that
body.
While the District bill is expected
to cause less trouble than any of
the other appropriation measures, in
view of the fact that members OF
the District Committee were less in
clined, during consideration of the
measure, to knock out legislative
items, than were the other com
mittees, the resentment over the sit
uatiOn has gradually increased, so
Ihat virtually the entire member
ship OF the House is up in arms and
anxious TO force the issue.
ChSIrrnan Mapcs, of the District
Committee. was nOnCOmmital last
night when asked if he expected to
start anything" when the confer
ence report comes up today. He
said he had not fully studied the
report and declined to say anything
one way or the other"
Gains Moot Point.
While Mapes has gained the point
nearest his neart-the continuation
Of the 60-4O basis-his refusal to
commit himself is taken to indicate
that he is not altogether satisfied
with the situation.
Representative Focht, of Pennsyl-
Nania. ranking member of the COM
mittee. and who will become chair
man when Mapes is transferred to
the Interstate commerce Committee,
stated frankly that he did not ex-
p-ct to cause any difficulty.
He deplOred the situation, how
ever. and declared that some rem
sdy must be found or the House,
sooner or late-, will reach a stage
Of suspended animation. He said
the principal result Of the new order
OF things, is tha- members of the
legislative committees have lost in
t-rest in their work and it is diff
cult Co obtain a quorum in some of
the most important committees.
Evsn though the entire member
ship of the District Committee
should refrain from making the is
sue. II is highly improbable that the
District bill will escape the clash
IN view of the belligerent attitude
and intense fCcI.rg existing among
the other members
One Can Cause Trouble.
One man could force a vote and a
roll call on each of the 25O amend
mentS reported by the conferees on
the District bill AS each roll call
- consumes at least twenty-five min
utes. and there are several other ap-
IrOpriation bills pending, it is diff
cult to estimate the time that would
he consumed n that event
With President elect Harding
urging final action on all apprOpria-
zion bills during this session. and a
fIihuster impending to force consid-
Grafton Of packer regulation Iegisla-
tion. Republican floor leader. Mon
dell. climbed into the supreme opti-
mist class yesterday when he prom
Ised the incoming President to have
the decks cleared for action on the
Republican program in the extra
session