Evening star., 1921-07-03
HOUSE HESITATES
TO SOLVE PROBLEM
Selection Of Chairman of Appropriations
Committee Is Receiving Careful Con-
sideration-Seniority Rule Opposed.

In the final analysis il is Congress- that
must determine the fiscal policies, and
we can save lot of valuable time by
working the policies out now with Gen,
Dawes"
Two Solutions SuEEested,
IL the seniority rule is not followed,
there are two suggestions as TO how to
MI the vacancy in the chairmanship-
first. to allow the members of the COM
mittee to select which one OF their own
members they prefer for chairman;
second, TO treat it as a committee cre-
a'ed by the House and throw the elec-
ton OF chairman into the House.
The proponents for adhering to the
seniority system are principally the
older members of the House, on other
major committees from which the an
propriatng authority has been revoked.
Ihese men feel that with the seniority
; rule broken there will be no assured
position Of authority before them in
the House after many years of service
in dHtincton to this line Of thought is
'he attitude Of the younger members.
VINO are IN big majority in the present
, Congress, that breaking the seniority
| rule opens up an opportunity for them
, to win quickly places Of prominence in
| Congress instead of having to wait for
! the older members TO die off or be re-
' tired by the voters.
; There is a strong sentiment in the
+, House that with the institution OF the
Federal budget system Congress should
, Shnu Sfnrerif,- in
tenn as economic and efficient as pos
sible by selecting the best qualified man
J in the House. regardless of present COM
mittee assignment. to become chairman
ot the important master appropria tions
committee.
Two Men Urged and Opposed.
Certain members are urging Repre-
sentative Theodore F. Burton Of Ohio
for chairman. They are pointing out
/ that his services for sixteen wears IN
the House. which he left at the peak
or his popularity and power. his six
years in the Senate. leaving way for
| Harding TO make his eRtry and open-
! ing the way for him to be President
and having been a candidate for the
presidential nomination himself, would
make him a strong candidate They
| emphasize also that the announcement
TO the people of the country that a man
OF BurtoR's reputation had been selected
would encourage general confidence that
most careful consideration Of efficient
economy would be had on all appro-
priation bills.
However there is considerable oppo-
siton in the House 10 the selection of
| Burton. and the fact that he is from
Ohio. which state has been getting its
full share Of The high places in the
present administration. is not going to
help his chances. Representative Joe
| Walsh of Massachusetts is another
member of the House who is not a
member of the appropriation commit
Itee who is very seriously mentioned as
one who would make an exceptionally
good chairman. But Representative
! Walsh much prefers to remain on the
judiciary committee and to devote his
lattention principally 10 achieving econ
omy and good. constructive legislation
through close attention TO the work on
the floor of the House. The prfncipal
cry that would be raised against Repre-
sentative Walsh would be on account Of
the dominant position in both the House
and Senate already held by Massachu-
, setts members. TOO much Massachu-
setts" would he shouted just as loudly
as TOO much Ohio
Kelley OF Michigan Supported.
Within the appropriations committee
\ -ho is ha;.
! mentioned as the one whose appoint
ment would meet with the most gen.
eral approval in the House is Represen-
tative Patrick II. Kelley of Michigan,
who has served five continuous terms.
Representative Kelley handled the naval
Appropriation bill in a mastery way, in
spite Of many antagonistic influences.
1t is generally conceded that the naval
bill was the best managed of any Of the
appropriation measures. Representative
Kelley is relatively young member.
with good chances of holding the posi-
ton of chairman for many years il
selected. He has the support Of some
Of the most influential republican MEM
bers. But Representative Kelley would
have opposition even within his own
state delegation. because Representative
Cramton outranks him in seniority as
a member Of the appropriations COM
mittee.
The craftsmanship Of the appropria-
tions committee-the committee of
thirty-f1ve which represents the good
will Of Congress itself to beget econ
omies under the federal budget system
is developing into a problem which is