Evening star., 1922-05-07
WANTS CABINET MEMBERS
TO SIT WITH CONGRESS
Proposal by Attorney General Daugherty
Revives' Interest in Plan Which Has
Had Many Influential Supporters.

be entitled to seats on the floor OF
the Senate and the House, with the
right to participate in matters relat-
ing to the business of their respec-
tive departments, under such rules as
might be prescribed by the Senate and
House. The other section provided
that the cabinet officers should attend
the opening of the sessions of the
Senate on Tuesday and Friday of each
week and the opening of the sessions
of the House on Monday and Thurs
day to give information asked by
resolution or to reply to questions
which might be propounded to them
by the senators and representatives.
house might. by standing orders. dis
pense with the attendance of one or
more of the cabinet officers on any Of
these days. If any such plan were
adopted. undoubtedly stringent rules
would be provided in each house so as
to confine the discussions in which
the cabinet officers would take part to
certain bounds. There Is a plethora
of debate in the Congress now with
out bringing in ten more star per-
formers.
it is believed. would greatly expedite
the public business. Members Of the
Senate and House could get informa-
tion first hand and promptly from the
department heads. At present the
usual course is to put through a
resolution-which may or may not
lead to long debate in the Senate or
House-asking information from
cabinet officer, often through the
President. Then the written reply to
the resolution sometimes fails to give
the exact information desired, and
time has been lost.
Practice Is Common
In Other Countries.
In other countries where constitu-
tional government prevails cabinet
officers and ministers almost invari-
ably have the privilege of addressing
the legislative bodies of their re-
spective countries. This is true in
France and Great Britain. 1n the lat
ter country parliamentary govern
ment exists to a greater degree than
elsewhere. The cabinet officers have
They rise and fall on votes of parlia-
ment. They are the executive.
There seems to be no constitutional
objection to granting the privilege Of
speaking in Senate and House to
members Of the cabinet. These cabi-
net officers already have the privilege
of appearing on the floor of the Sem
ate and House as they desire. Not in
frequently cabinet members may be
seen in conversation with the legis-
lators on the floor. The constitution
says that each house may determine
the rules of it's proceedings. Each
house has. under this power, admitted
q chaplain to open the proceedings
with prayer. The House, under this
power, has admitted contestants to
argue their title to membership. BY
the act of 1917 Congress authorized
the territories of the United States to
send delegates to the House of Repre-
sentatives. having the right to seats
in the House and the right to speak
in the House, but without the right
to- vote. The act of 1883, organizing
the Treasury Department, provided
that the Secretary Of the Treasury
shall from time to time digest and
prepare plans for the improvement
and management of the revenue, and
for the support Of the public credit
shall make report and give informa-
ton to either branch Of the 1egisla-
ture in person or in writing, as may
be required, respecting all matters
referred to him by the Senate or the
House, or which shall appertain to
his Office"
Opponents Fear Increase
OF Executive influence.
In opposition to the plan Of having
the cabinet officers appear on the floor
of the Senate and House it has been
urged that it would largely increase
the influence Of the executive on
legislation. But at least the influence
would work in the open, where now
it frequently works in the dark. An
other argument made against the