Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-07-03
By J. Frederick Essnry.
Washington Correspondent OF The
Times dispatch.

Washington Correspondent OF The
Times Dispatch.
WASHIN GTON, July 2--An investi-
eating committee Of Congress to in
vest!Satc other investigating commit
tees and a supreme commission on
commissions.
This unique enterprise is fathcrcd
by Senator John sharp Williams. Of
Mississippi! At statesman who, before
retiring to private lie ana To we'll
earned oblivion" would like To make
one grand contribution To the parlii-
mentary history Of the nation. lie
would like some machinery for cX-
posing to the disgust of the country
the !utility and faulty OF the aver
age Investigating committee Of the
House aud Senate on the one hand.
and the folly of government by com
mission on the other. TO the Missis-
sippidn. both are as obnoxious as
Paris green to a potato bug.
The Senator has just expressed his
views upon these subjects in conncc-
ton with the proposed inquiry by
the Senate into the MIngn. ". Va,
riots. He recalled that "a similar COM
n!ttcc Of the Senate made a similar
inquiry some time ago regarding con-
ditions IN the West Virginia coal
-.'hS anu 'Hib II 'Ill'u An enormous
~ large report ana sent bill for
an enormously large sum of money
o tn. Senate 10 be paid out OF the
contingent fund"
Continuing, The Senator commented
n one item Of expense incurred BY
that committee. an item typical. he
said. Of tho processes OF investigating
committees
Esp~rtorntrd on PnrIor Carpets.
Il remember that one item of the
charge" the Senator said. had to do
with lot OF mountainccrs summoncd
4 give testimony who had spit all
over the carpets and ruined tho sofas
o. one Of the hotels in West Virginia.
ana the government OF the United
states Vas called on TO pay for that
damage as one of tho incidental cx-
pcuses OF the investigation. So We
become responsible for carpet and rus;
destroying influence OF the tobacco
chewing mountainccrS Of West Nir-
rinia. As a member OF the Committee
on Audit and Control AT that time.
J rather opposed the payment OF this
sort of consequential and remote
damage committed by tho United
states government upon hotel pro-
prictors."
What VIC really need" Senator
Williams insists. lis an investiga-
ton committee 10 investigate the
former Investigating committees Of
various sorts 10 determine what they
have done and why they did il, what
| they said or did not say. and how il
came about that they did OF did no,
| say something. We ought 10 nave
| :, general appellate Investigation com
| mittce OF all other investigating com
| mittccs TO determine whether they
| were originally properly constituted
whether they ever did anything thai
anybody recognized or whether they
ever said anything that anybody ever
| read.
Wants Comm is>ion on Commissions.
Then, after we are through Win
| that. we ought To have commission
! on commissions. J offered a bill
| abou: two years ago for a commits
! sion to investigate other commits,
| sions. to determine their raisor
d'ctrc and the probable date OF IN,
| end OF their activities. Now yoU
start "a commission and it goes on
| forever. II may be possible that there
is AN argument against the immor
| tality OF the soul. but there is no
| possibility OF argument against tbs
Immortality Of a commission"
Discussing commissions a little
further Senator Williams recited this
story:
II had an old friend once who was
! placed upon a commission TO de-
, tcrmine certain things with regard 20
the District Of Columbia. lie was the
father OF distinguished member of