The New York herald., 1921-03-07
CONGRESS- MACHINE
SMOOTH AND SWIFT
Precision Marked Specially in
Reorganizing Of Main
Committees.
Spscai Despatch 70 THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,

New York Herald Bureau,
Washington. ID. O.. March 9.
one Of the remarkable things about
this new Republican Administration IS
the smoothness and precision with which
Congress is going about reorganizing it's
committees-the arteries OF its legisla-
tive life.
This function the House will not be
called on to perform until the special
session, but theN path has been well
paved by the conference OF Republicans,
3O1 in number, in which the conclusion
has been reached to keep Speaker Gil
lett and Floor Leader Mondell in these
positions, which they held In the last
Congress-. All murrnurs of opposition
disappeared when the time came.
That there win be some friction during
the process OF forming committees is in
evitable The Republican majority OF
16s members Is 50 overwhelming that
they may feel at liberty TO quarrel a
little, knowing they cannot endanger
their control. 1t will be no small task
to find satisfactory committee places for
the new blood" every constituent part
OF which Is seeking place on the more
important committees with insufficient
places 10 go around. But the demand
for these places 10 a conventional and
customary problem, with which the old
timers arc familiar.
In the Senate there VIII be no diffi-
cultles whatever about committee assign
ments for, except the coveted vacancy on
the Foreign Relations Committee, due
to the resignation OF Senator Fail IN.
NJ. and a vacancy in the chairrnanship
of the Cornrlittee on Agriculture. because
OF the defeat OF Senator Gronna (N.
d., the committee organization is now
intact.
This notable fact is due to two things
First chat the Republicans lost only
four old Senators, Senator Gronna by
defeat, Senator Sherman (Ill) by volun-
tary retirement. Senator Fall by resig-
nation and Senator Harding by his cleo
to the Presidency; second, that the SEN
ate has effected distinct reform in Its
committee organization.
BY resolution adopted many months
ago all the obsolete, useless, non-work-
ing committees were abolished. The
number Of committees was cut from
seventy-flve to about half that number,
and the size of the larger committees
was reduced. The Appropriation Com
mittee. for instance, formerly included
twenty-one Senator'S. Now there Is no
committee containing more than fifteen.
So the vacancies caused by the retire
IHent OF LneSe TOUR senators practically
made no change In the Republican per-
sonnel OF any OF the important commit
tees except Foreign Relations and Agri-
culture
This situation insures efficient action
on the mass OF important matters that
must command consideration in Con-
gress. Mindful that the Army and Navy
supply bills failed and have to be ap-
proved in the extra session and that the
immigration bill was vetoed. It Is graft
flying to Republican leaders to know that
the Senate committees which handled
these bills have not been subjected to
single change of Republican member
ship. II simplifies their consideration
enormously in comparison with the prob
lem that ordinarily confronts a new Ad-
ministration.
Senator Lodge is expected to announce
tomorrow the personnel of the new COM
mittees and the steering committee But
In view of the satisfactory condition OF
affairs and the completeness of the leg
lslative machinery Of the Senate the APP
pointments Will be a matter OF form
rather than OF necessity The foresight
OF the Republican majority in the last
Senate In cutting out unnecessary COM
mittees and reducing their membership
has been justified