Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-12-09
Organization Plan
Congress Wrong,
Weeks Tells ms. Men

New York, Dec. .S-The present sys-
tenn of organization in Congress
whereby control is divided by numer-
Gus committees, may, "if carried to
its logical conclusion" divide the
United States Into hostile factions or
groups and leave the country
"powerless to defend or maintain it's
interests, national or international"
John w. Weeks, secretary of war
said today, in an address before the
convention of the Association of Life
Insurance Presidents. 4sti~ :.
Contrasting the present situat ton
with recent administration charac-
terized by reference to "a big stick"
he said:
1T was not many years ago that
we heard stories about a big stick"
which was said to be used in driving
congress into a state OF tractability
and force the enactment of laws de-
sired by the executive. The truth
however, is that while the executive
was a mastery man of dominating
personality and characteristics, he
was party man and those in the
executive branch of the government
were equally so. They believed in
government by party and that the
responsibility under such government
should be observed even by those who
might doubt the wisdom of the pro-
posed action. The result was that
the leaders in the Senate and in the
House consulted the executive and to-
gether they formulated the policies 70
be followed. Quite frequently, no
doubt, the executive in some instan-
ces urged, and perhaps imposed. his
views on the Congressional leaders:
but invariably these men returned to
the Capitol to carry out the decision
reached at the conference, and the
members of that party in the SEN
ate and House, recognizing the neces-
sity Of responsible action, supported
them in their endeavors.
"Then came a reform, or It was so
heralded, in the conduct Of the
House of Representatives. The power
Of action which had largely rested
with the speaker and through him
with the committee on rules, was
taken away and diveded among COM
mittees. The resultant think it
has been clearly demonstrated-is
that it is impossible to get the type
of legislative action which comes
from party regularity and RESPONSE
bility."
II can recall" said Mr.. Weeks. lin
the days OF so-called Cannonism,
when Mr.. Cannon was called a car.
as would have any other man OF
strength filing the speakers chair
under those conditions, that the
speaker found ways, perfectly legiti-
mate under the rules, to prevent the
enactment Of a vast amount Of per-
sonal and irresponsible legislation.
More than that, he had the power,
and he used it. to prevent the ap-
preparations intended for local pur-
poses which were not needed and
which were not for the general good.
1.-THE slightest examination of the
increase in governmental; expendi-
lures during the last 10 years for the
ordinary requirements Of the govern
ment will indicate to what extent this
change in the method of legislating
has affected the treasury.
ITO my mind the change has had
tendency to weaken effective gov
eminent. has resulted in irresponsi-
BILE legislation, prevented both parties
from carrying out pledges made in
their platforms. and in time will d.
vide the legislative branch of the
government into groups, each group
championing a special cause. and we
will see one. group combining with
another to bring about a control Of
legislative action in the interests
Of a particular faction.
while we may not degenerate to
the level of some countries In this
respect, carried to it's logical conclu-
sion we may eventually find our
selves divided into hostile factions or
groups, one class plundered by an
other and the country powerIess to
defend or maintain its interests, ma
tional or international"
Not only the United States but