Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-01-19
Wage Fight
On Increase
Bill Providing for Boost in
Membership From 435
To 483 Meets Storm Of
Protest.
Leaders Predict Defeat

Washington, Jan. lS.--Altcr ti@c
hours Of argument, the house. Ike
jury not required to be locked
up, went home to deliberate over the
proposal to increase its membership
from 435 to 4S5.
Such storm Of protest was raised
however, to the bill that house lead
ers> predicted the verdict tomorrow
would be against the increase and
for an amendment holding seats 20
the present total. The debate
touched every possible point, all
though Representative CLARK. for.
mer democratic leader, declared 4
was not different from that heard
after cvery dcccnnial census for
half century.
Rising to speak in opposition 10
the bill, Representative Esch, repub-
lican. Wisconsin, who failed OF re-
election last year after service OF
p years, was greeted by demon-
stration. Then he declared the
house could not justify its action
in adding to the membership simply
to save one seat in Maine ,and<an.
other in Missouri.
People Want Efficiency.
"Why can't this house have the
courage to say it will not do, that"
he asked. "The people are not so
much concerned with the number
OF representatives as they are with
the question of ability and efficiency
It is not too difficult to remember
the time when Maine. with four
members, had more influence here
than New York with its 30."
Nearly everybody had chance to
express his views. Representative
Montague, democrat. Virginia. de-
clared it was shockingly obvious-to
the house, as it was to the country.
that the house was too big now to
legislate effectively. Representative
Clark, who goes out Of Office In
March, endorsed the increase, but
announced he would fight for con-
stitutional amendment which would
hold the total to 500 for all time.
Representative Mondell OF Wyoming.
republican leader, joined with those
opposing an increase, declaring. that
IF this body is to remain what the
fathers intended, delibcratiye body,
1t must be kept reasonably small"
Opposition Strong.
.Sofnc members, even from states
which stand to lose representation,
opposed the, bill and insisted OH the
amendment proposed by Representa-
tive Barbour, republican, California,
which would keep the total as at
present This was particularly true
OF Mississippi, slated to lose seat,
three of its representatives. Sisson,
Humphreys and Stephens--hghting
for the smaller number.
Under the Barbour amendment.
the house would be rcapportioncd
by shifting II seats from II states to
eight. States gaining would be Cal
ilorlila, Michigan, Ohio, Connecticut.
New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas
and Washington. Listed in the los
ing column were: Missouri, IN
diana. Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky,
i~ouie'dut, MdIiie, MISSISSIPPI, Ne
braska, Rhode Island and Vermont
During the debate plea was made
by Representative Aswell, democrat,
Louisiana. whose, state would lose
one member, that reduction should
not be made when women were
starting to vote, and warning by
Representative Sims, democrat, Teil-
nessee, that it was easier for big in
terests to control small than . big
body. Mr.. Sisson said all the world
knew how big cities were bossed.
and that the charge never had been
made that there was such being as
village boss.