Evening star., 1921-10-09
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

OUSE LEADER MONDELL,
- in announcing the repub-
lican legislative program, has
| stated that an effort will be
made this week to pass the reap
poationment BILL" which provides for
] an increase of twenty-five members
| in the House, or from 435 to 460.
There seems to be a pretty gen
| eral sentiment among the republican n
| forces that this measure will be
passed. although some of the most
prominent and serious members are
| outspokenly against increasing fur
ther the size of the House-such men
as Representative Joseph Walsh of
Massachusetts, who substitutes as
Speaker in the absence Of Represen-
tative Gillett. and Representative
Martin L. Madden, chairman of the
appropriations committee.
| Members coming back from a few
weeks among the people, however
are giving their colleagues a warn
ing that the people of the country
are opposed to a further increase in
the size of the House on two principal
! grounds-I) that it means at least
half million dollars more year in
actual costs. and (2) that it will make
the legislative body too cumbersome
for good and efficient legislation.
Coupled with this is a growing SEN
timent among those who watch Con-
gress most closely that the salaries
Of the present 435 members of the
House and Sc members of the Senate
should be increased sufficiently, al
least, to cover their actual expenses
before Is more are put on the pay
roll. 1t is prominent citizens and
| good business men outside of Con-
gress who are principally express
ing their conviction. 1t is not men,
bers Of Congress who hope thus to
get their own salaries increased. The
few members who are ready to ex-
press an opinion are those who are
preparing to leave Congress. so they
have no personal motive. Some day
soon several leaders on both sides
| Republican and democratic) are go.
ing to be brave enough to stand uI
on the floor and openly advocate q
living wage for themselves.
Expenses Of q Member.
Some years ago when the present
salary was fixed a member could
come pretty near living on it, and h
was not obliged to spend anything
like the amount of time on the job
attending sessions daily, as now. II
recent years members have had t,
spend practically all their time at
tending sessions of the House ant
Senate or committee meetings. 1t i:
practically impossible today for {
member to continue actively in pri
vate business.
tain two establishments-one in hi!
district and the other here in Wash
ington. He has to entertain constitu
ents here and help support campaign
organizations at home, besides donat.
Ting very frequently to church ant
charitable affairs. Today member:
| salary does not cover his expenses
especially if he is at all active ant
prominent in attending to the bust
ness for which his constituents sen
him here.
So today the feeling among thos,
who know Congress best is that thos,
who are faithfully serving their hom,
people here should be given a living
wage before twenty-five new mem
bers are sent to invent new avenue!
of approach to the federal Treasury
They figure that the extra cost of th'
proposed twenty-five new member
should go long way toward giving
the present number of 435 more ade
quate salaI
If the re. )rtionment bill, which
House Leade ,ndell says is coming
up this weel. Is defeated, it will b,
principally on the ground that nov
is no time to increase the expense.
Of government.
Under the proposed reapportion
ment two states, Maine and Missouri
would each lose a member, and thu
following sixteen states would gain
members: Arkansas, one; California
flour; Connecticut, one; Georgia. one
Illinois. one; Massachusetts. one
Michigan, three; New Jersey, two
New Mexico one; New York. two