The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-08-02
AN01HER EFFORT TO
~ ENLARGE CONGRESS
,or HOUSE REFUSED TO RE-
LAD SOp1poRTIoN BY INCREASE.
AZ srNATE DODGES ISSUE.

DISTINCTION, D. C.-Ahother
W." at IN increase the size of the
sDs,. Of representatives is now being
ly W.. although the house itself at the
,.', session of congress rebuked the
"a" ottempt and turned down the ma
-eoort of the census committee
n reapportionment.
A. the last session the majority of
4. census committee reported in ia
w y. ~ raising the number of represent
i ,res from 435, the present figure, to
%, co that no state in the union would
nv, y member. After warm nom
IVY .4;sar debate the house by substan-
~ ~ ', Margin adopted the minority cen
u "a I rommittee report which favored
Suo ooortionment without increasing the
e .,pbsr Of representative above the
n ,nl ASS. The house adopted the bill
commended by the minority OF the
.onrnittee but the senate pigeonholed
/ W. sa' MEASURE and let it die with the life
~ that congress March 8, 1921,
When the present congress came IN
i l.. census committee of the house was
constituted, though retaining many
4 ~ the former members, including the
nrmer and present chairman, Repre-
,sntatiye Siegel of New York, who is
strong advocate of increasing the
lumber of his colleagues at the end OF
the capitol, and Representative Larsen
n Georgia. who is as strongly oppos-
ii to anv increase. Chairman Siegel
has managed by the skin OF his teeth
TO get his committee again to report
& IN favor of raise, this time to 400
instead OF 483, and the house will have
i the whole fight over again.
Committeeman Consulted President.
n the last congress the report of
tbe census committee of the house in
Il favor of increasing its numbers was
pigbt to six. This time the vote was
taken in committee there was tie, 7
No l. and the only way in which Chair
man Siegel was able to get his bill re-
ported was by the kindness" of one
q the members opposed to the meas
me who changed his vote in order that
! The chairman might have this Satisfac-
On
The committeeman so coming to the
assistance OF Chairman Siegel in the
: hour OF need was Representative Hen
nv E, Barbour, OF California, who has
been one OF the strongest antagonists
Of the idea OF reapportionment by en-
sargement and is understood to be of
l The same opinion still Rumor has it
3 that suggestion from President Hard
Ing was the real cause of Chairman
Segel'S temporary rescue"
Division in the census committee
3 and in the house in this reapportion-
&ment question has not been on party
lines There has been a tendency, with
noteworthy exceptions, towards sup
port OF an increase by committeeman
from states which would lose member
ship under reapportionment not in
sGeaSing the total roster of the house;
q land it is also a striking fact that in re-
apportlOnment years the census COM
mttee accumulates an undue proper
tiOn OF members from states which
stand TO lose under a reapportionmenr
(which does not augment the total per-
sonnet Of the house.
Should Interest Gen. Dawes.
It is to be presumed that Brig. Gen.
Dawes, the economy specialist OF the
administration, was not around when
Chairman Siegel and company called
8on the president. Such sleuth on
s The trail of waste would have instantly
perceived the contempt of economy in
#yolyed in the proposition to add to the
membership of a house already too
large tor either good business or COM
s fort.
10 add twenty-five members to the
house in order to save a dozen mem
+ OeFS from losing their seats under re-
aPportlonment would cost the country
about half million dollars a year
extra at time when the treasury has
dehcit and every clerk in the gov
eminent service is being impressed
WIN the need of saving even a sheet of
writing paper where possible. 1t
would really be an excellent thing,
#9oih Tor financial economy and legis-
slive results, if the numerical size of
I3e house could be reduced by about
Aside from the economy phase of
ae question, which should be all-con-
aOllng at this time, it would seem that
an increase is to be made to keep
ay state from losing member any
Smtr state similarly to lose should be
gsIuGed in the salvage. The original
G5seI bill, defeated last winter, pro-
, ,asg Tor fixing the number at 483 in
s%au OF the present figure of ABS be-
SeuSe with 4S3 member no state would
we a representative. With 400 mem
Sg% n as proposed in the new Siegel
Inl Name and Missouri would each
s s% one representative. 1t is hard to
H. now the Maine and Missouri mem
6gs VINO voted for the first Siegel bill
rs SE;suSe It kept their seats intact can
c WIZ" the compromise" which takes
tS.p OF everybody else but leaves