Evening star., 1922-05-07
by G. GOULD LINCOLN.


= n ty a few days ago expressed
~ the opinion that cabinet OFF,
GERS should have the privi-
lege of speaking on the floor of the
Senate. BY inference, 1t may be sup
posed he would also favor their hav-
ing the privilege of entering the de-
bate on the floor Of the House.
> The Attorney General is the latest
high official of the government In
either the executive or legislative
branch to advocate the plan OF hav-
ing the heads of executive depart
ments heard in Congress. His opinion
was expressed after he had been at
tackled on the floor Of the Senate by
Senator Caraway of Arkansas. demo-
crat, and, not unnaturally, Mr.. Daugh-
erty expressed desire to reply to the
Arkansas senator in the same forum
where he had been attacked.
Aid to Public Business
Would BE Real Purpose.
But the real purpose of having cabi-
net officers granted the privilege of
speaking in the houses of Congress
would not be to answer attacks 1t
would be to give the fullest informa-
,tion regarding their departments as
promptly as possible: to bring about
a more cordial understanding between
the executive and legislative branches
of the government; in fact, to expe-
dite the transaction Of public busi-
ness.
Today there are leading senators
and representatives who look with
favor on the plan. In the past it has
been advocated many times in both
houses. But up to the present time
nothing has been done about it.
In the early. days of the republic
the President made it practice of
appearing in person In both houses
to deliver communications orally.
The annals of the first Congress show
that the secretary Of foreign affairs,
Mr.. Jefferson" on July %, 1889. at
tended agreeably to- order and made
the necessary explanations" and that
on August %, 1888, Gen. Knox, Secre-
tary of War, appeared in the Senate
and delivered a message on behalf Of
the President, etc. 1t would not
therefore. be an entire innovation if
the cabinet officers should be heard
/; on the floor of the Senate and House.
President Wilson Revived
An Abandoned Practice.
George Washington. becoming in
censed. it is said, at his treatment in
the Senate one day. left the floor and
vowed he would not return No Pres
ident did appear in person before Con-
agress from Washington's day until
president Woodrow Wilson revived
the practice-a practice that has been
followed by President Harding. 1t
would appear in keeping with this re-
yival of ancient customs if Secretary
Hughes of the State Department
should ATTEND agreeably to order and
make the necessary explanations" to
Congress. as did Thomas Jefferson in
1889
Elihu Root. when he served as sem
etor from New York, took an interest
in the proposal that heads of the
executive departments should be
given seats on the floor and the privi-
lege of being heard on matters relat-
ing to their departments. Mr.. Root
had served previously both as Secre-
tary of War and as Secretary Of
State. He knew. from every angle,
therefore. the advantage to be de-
rived from such a practice.
Bill Providing Seats
Reported to Senate.
A select committee of the Senate,
headed by the late Senator George H.
Pendleton of Ohio, 3 democrat, in 1881
reported favorably to the Senate
bill providing that the heads of the
executive departments may occupy
seats on the floor of the Senate and
House and take part in debate relat-
; Ink to their departments and answer
dueetions propounded to them by SEN
ator., and representatives. Serving
with Mr.. Pendleton on this committee
>were Senators w. B. Allison. D. W.
voorhees, James G. Blaine. NJ. C. But
Ter, John j. ingalls,, o. H. Platt and
J. T. Farley-men who made their
mark in the Senate of those days.
The proposal to have the cabinet
pficers have seats and voice in Con-
rress was sponsored for many years
By Mr.. Pendleton. In fact, he began
his fight for the plan when he was a
member of the House. In 1854, as
chairman Of a special committee. Of
he House. he reported favorably
resolution providing that the heads
be the departments might have seats
IN the floor Of the House.
Measure Made Attendance
a Duty Of Cabinet.
The plan reported favorably to the
senate in 1881 by the select commit
tee has considerable 'merit. The bill
had two sections. One provided that