New-York tribune., 1921-12-09
Weeks Against
Group Control
Over Congress
System Dividing House Into
Hostile Camps, Menacing
Nations Vital Interests,
He Tells Insurance Heads
Party Government Better
Country's Health Improves,
but Auto Accidents and
Deaths by Violence Gain

Three hundred members OF the As
sociation of Life Insurance Presidents,
meeting yesterday at the Hotel Astor
in the first session Of a two-day con-
vention, heard addresses by John w.
Weeks, Secretary of War; DR.. Living
ston Farrand. president Of Cornell
University; Alfred r. Horr, vice-presi-
dent and treasurer of the Equitable
Life Assurance Society. and others
notable In the field Of insurance and
other spheres.
Secretary Weeks deplored the pres
ent-day committee control OF the House
of Representatives, contrasting it un-
favorably with the earlier system when
great power was vested in the Speaker.
"The present system Of organization,
whereby control is divided between
numerous committees" he said, may,
If carried to its logical conclusion, d.
vide the United States into hostile fac
tions or groups and leave the country
powerless to defend or maintain its in
ferests. national or international"
Hard Work as Cure fox Evils
He also advocated hard work as the
sovereign remedy for the economic ills
of the present day.
1.-The people who are recovering most
RAPIDLY from the effects of the war,
Mr.. Weeks continued, care those who
ara working instead of talking, who
are practicing economy instead of in
dulging in extravaganza. And In put
ting their own house in order they are
solving the problems confronting their
country
DR.. Farrand spoke at the afternoon
"Health, the Guidcpost to Material and
Moral National Strength" He said he
did not propose to conhne himself
strictly to the text, and devoted much
of his talk to describing the effect in
European countries of the slow lntll-
tration of disease following the war.
The worst of it, he said, was showing
in children through sustained malnu-
triton. He declared that the curative
among the young.
The Rev. DR. Canon Cody, rector Of
St. Paul's Church, Toronto and former
ly Minister of Education for the
Province of Ontario. spoke on "Na-
xionalism, Internatonalism and Super
nationalism." He pleaded for true
international brotherhood Of ms y,
pSSeQ on moral union ol tuc OuAlco
States and Great Britain.
John NJ Holcombe, president Of the
Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Com
pany, of Hartford, Conn, spoke at the
morning meeting on "The New Life
Insurance Business of 192l-What it
Means"
Another speaker at the morning ses-
sion was Mr. Horr, who talked on "Can
Trust Companies and Life Companies
be Neighbors Without Quarreling %
This question he answered In the af-
AYmative.
Health Better; More Accidents
Robert Lynn Cox, third vice-presi-
dent of the Metropolitan Life lnsur-
meeting on "National Health in the
Life Insurance Mirror" He said the
current year had been the healthiest
in the history the United States and
Canada. Deaths caused by influenza
and pneumonia decreased this year,
but automobile accidents increased IL
per cent and hornicides and suicides
also showed big increase.
Herbert C. Cox, president and gen
eral manager of the Canada Life Assur.
ance Company, of Toronto, presided
at both meetings.
Secretary Weeks said, in part:
"It was not many years ago that we
heard stories about big stick which
was supposed to be used in driving
Congress into a state of tractabllity
and to force the enactment of laws de-
sired by the Executive. The truth, how
ever, is that while the Executive was q
mastery man of dominating personal
ity 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 sucl
government should be observed even
by those who might doubt the disdon
of the proposed action. The result
was that the leaders in the Senate and
In the House consulted the Executive
and together they formulated the poll
eies to be followed.
~ can recall in the days of SO
called Cannonism, when Mr.. Cannon
was called czar, as would have beel
any other man of strength filling the
Speakers chair under those conditions;
that the Speaker found ways, perfectly
legitimate under the rules, to preven
the enactment of a vast amount OF
personal and irresponsible legislation
More than that, he had the power, and
he used 1t, to prevent appropriations
1ntended for local purposes which were
not needed and which were not for the
general good. To my mind, the
change has had a tendency to weaken
C11cCtiVc government, mas TeSulCeo III
irresponsible legislation, prevented both
parties from carrying out pledges made
in their platforms, and. in time, will
divide 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 control OF
legislative action in the interest of &
particular faction"
Earmar MOI Nro~ 80
The farmer-"the backbone Of thu
country'-was the first to feel the ef.
1ects Of postwar deflation. the Secre
sary said, but added that "the farmer
could not be entirely absolved from
blame" for his present situation. as he
&sS zsTzWS