The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-08-20
BETTER LAWS
Will RESULT
FROM RECESS
Rest viii Give Clearer Judg-
ment-Age Of Important
Senate Chairmen Averages
Over 68 Years.
SENIORITY RULE IS BAD
BY MARK SULLIVAN

WASHINGTON, d. c., Aug. 20
Whether congress is to be criticized
for taking a summer recess is one
question. Whether congress ought to
have accomplished more before the
time for the recess came is another
question.
Still a third question Is whether
some aspects of the present organiza-
tion of congress might not be changed
so as to enable it to do its work more
quickly and effectively. The three
questions call for different considera-
tions.
AS for the desirability, under nor
NAL circumstances, of summer re-
cess for congress, any person familiar
with the deterious effects OF heat and
fatigue on the judgment and efficiency
of public men is likely to answer yes.
That answer need not be based on
humane consideration for the indi-
viduals concerned. That the strain
of tariff debate, or of any other
similarly strenuous work during hot
summer has shortened the life of
more than one public man is famll-
lar fact But the desirability of a
recess need not rest on the fact that
under conditions of intense heat, ia
tigue and angry controversy, costly
mistakes of judgment and bad deci-
sions are made.
Doubtless many a farmer and many
a business man, who must swelter on
through the strain of summer
marked by almost universally har-
RAISING difficulty. may lend respon-
sive ear to those who will make po-
litical capital of the proposal for
recess for senators and congressman.
Rest Beneficial
But the more reasonable judgment
is that in a year when the most I'M
portant conceivable issues are to the
front, there are better subjects for
political controversy than whether
tired senators will haye an opportun-
ity for rest before taking up the
heavy burden of a tax debate and
tariff debate combined.
It is especially discouraging that the
Democratic national committee, at
time so rich in opportunities for an
opposition party should include in its
publicity a meticulous statement, with
critical implications, of the precise
days and dates and hours spent ny
President Harding in trips away from
Washington, in horseback riding, and
the like.
1t is a literal fact that the public
business of congress and of the senate
especially at this moment delayed by
the fact that some senators who occu-
py important positions are either
tired or more definitely i'll. or both.
The rule of seniority, upon which
the senate is organized, causes the
work of the more important commit
tee chairmenships to be placed upon
the shoulders Of those senators who
have been longest in service. and,
therefore oldest in years.
Average SO Years.
II is a fact that the average age OF
the chairman of the ten most import
ant committees of the Senate is 6S y
years. If we omit the committee on
military affairs, of which it happens
that young man. Senator Wadsworth
of New York, age "A, is chairman, then
the average age of the chairman of
the other nine most important COM
mitteeS is 20.
II we omit, further, the chairnen of
the committee on finance, Penrose of
Pennsylvania, who with so years is
comparatively young, then the aver
naming eight most important com
nittees is 73.
While Penrose, as chairman OF the
committee which has charge of both
taxation and tariff, is more than ten
years younger than the average chair
men of the other important commit.
tees, it is also fact his health is not
good Previous to last December he
spent a complete year in absence
from the senate and he is still in
process of recuperation.
Seniority Rule Bad.
Men whose age averages over 20
years are seriously handicapped in
their energy and effectiveness by the
conditions of a summer session in
such a climate as Washington.
Quite apart from considerations oil
summer heat, ii is doubtful whether
we make the best use of the exper
ience and ripeness of those older Sen
ators by booming them to the druid
gerry of a committee Craftsmanship.
There are frequent proposals tc
change the rule of seniority in the
Senate, so as to have the older mer
for role similar to that played BY
the elder statesmen of Japan, and tC
recruit younger senators for those
positions as committee chairmen, II
which so much of the work depend!
for it's value not necessary upon ex
perience and ripeness, but rather
upon energy and devotion to details.
II is interesting to compare th'
average age of the 10 senators WHIT
are the chairmen of the 10 most i'm
portant committees with the average
age of the 10 members of the cabinet
The average age of the 10 members o
the cabinet is 54 This average ag,
of the cabinet is in II way an expires
sion of judgment as to what is til,
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