Evening star., 1921-10-16

department
Cross-LeEislation Results.
Not only that. but as regards the
navy and War departments, it often
happens that duty will be given to
naval officer when the administra-
ton should apply equally to an Army
officer. This has resulted in consider
able cross-legislation, and the House
leaders argue that there would be a
general administrative system apply
ing to all officers.
With the establishment Of the
budget system, the fact has been en-
phasized that there is no committee
on the budget in the House. 1t will
oe one of the duties of the director
general and the controller general to
submit recommendations for legisla-
tion. There is now no committee to
which the Speaker can properly refer
these recommendations. So the new
committee would not only expedite
the settlement Of war claims, but
would view the administrative needs
of the government establishment gen.
orally.
A great deal of legislation of this
character--practicaIly all of It, as a
matter of fact-has heretofore been
carried in riders on appropriation
bills. That is. legislation affecting
the administration of moneys appro-
priated has been carried in appropria-
tion bills. Such legislation is very
often hurriedly drawn, is vague and
often fails to accomplish the purpose
for which it was enacted.
Powers Already Great.
But since the jurisdiction over all
appropriations has now been lodged
In the appropriations committee
necessarily, the House leaders say. il
will no longer be permitted that this
committee will include items of leg
islation. no matter how small or un-
important they may be relatively. on
an appropriation bill, or by special
bills fathered by the appropriations
| committee.
Considerable friction was caused in
the last Congress in handling appro-
priation bills because the chairmen
| and ranking members on some of the
erstwhile departmental appropriating
\ committees resented the loss of this
authority to the new, enlarged ap-
propriations committee. Some of the
| Appropriation bills were shot full of
holes when they came into the House.
through points of order being made
against legislative items.
Subject to Points Of Order.
But the fact remains that some
legislation iof this sort has to be
enacted. IT it is not put on in the
House 1t must be put on in the Senate
as an amendment. If it is put on az
an amendment 1t usually does not
meet with much consideration in the
| House. Such items of legislation put
on by the appropriations committee
are always subject to points of order
in the House. So. if such legislation is
to receive proper consideration, Il is
| necessary to have a committee ontex.
penditures in the executive depart
ments in order to round out the bud
| get system and make it efficient, eco
nomical and expeditions.
To give a good example Of how this
works out-the Navy pay bill included
the Army. Navy. Marine Corps, public
health and coast and geodetic survey
omcers. The House committee on
naval affairs got jurisdiction by in
PRODUCING a bill for naval officers. and
when the Senate got this measure IL
tackled on the other officers. The re-
suit was that the entire matter was
handled by the conferees for the naval
committee.
! rake also the proposal for the es-
tablishnrent of a general purchasing
| agency for all the government estab-
lishments. Such a bill has been in
| troduced by Representative Will r.
Wood of Indiana. There is no COM
| mittee to which it can be properIv
referred. 1t has been sent to the an
| propriations committee, but the pros-
poets are that committee will not dare
| to report it out
Seek No Further Powera
Chairman Madden and the members
OF the appropriations committee have
no cesire or inclination to intrude or
trespass on the grounds of DEPART
mental legislation, because they feel
they have big Job of their own.
The attitude of the House is that now
that power over all appropriations
has been passed to the appropriations
committee. If power over legislation
affecting all the government estab-
lishments is also passed to that COM
mittee it will be one of super-power
and the rest of the House organiza-
ton might just as well be abolished.
So much of this sort of legislation
has come to the House in the past.
and more than ever is in prospect
now. that the proposed new commit
tee would undoubtedly be one of
major Importance, ranking with the
appropriations and rules committees.
The House leaders feel that it should
be made up of twenty-five members
and divided into subcommittee. each
with jurisdiction over some particu-
lar department.
This committee would be a sort OF
balance to the appropriations COM
mittee-the committee on appropria-
tions having Jurisdiction over all ap-
propriations and the committee on
in the executive de-
partments having jurisdiction over
the manner of expenditure of such