Evening star., 1922-03-30
Congress Needs Better System
For Handling District Business

the proposals made by Representative
Moore for greater efficiency in legis.
latfng for the District and several OF
them are known to have been In con-
ference with him upon this subject,
Mr.. Moore feels that as democratic
member he should for the present
leave 1t to the majority to do the
talking. All he will add now to his
statement made in the House Is that
he cannot see how the creation OF
joint committee. having the author,
ity he thinks 1t should possess. could
fail to result advantageously. The
present practice is for all important
legislation to be finally considered Ivy
conference committees. which are
joint committees, and what he pro-
concerned, is that there shah be q joint
committee at the very beginning.
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The Senate rules as they now stand
are little confusing as to exactly
what authority the Senate will have
to permit legislation on an appro-
priation bill, and this question is be-
ing discussed among members Of the
District and appropriations commit
tees.
The delays that occur under the
present plan have been repeatedly
noted. are evident week after weak.
and have become a joke in 10th
houses of Congress. with especial
point to the failure Of the House DIS.
tion through the House. Chairman
Focht and. Representative Fred N.
Zihlman Of Maryland, one Of the most
active members, have been comniser-
ated and condoled with over the fact
that their pet measures have been
House or have had the enacting
clause cut off-killing the bill. Timely
examples are the extreme difficulty,
thus far amounting to failure, to get
legislation approved for relief OF the
street railway situation. the bill to
compel removal Of snow and ice frcn
sidewalks. the regulation Of tke bust
ness OF pawnbrokers and OF the
makers of small unsecured loans. the
workmen's compensation act, the milk
health Office. and a number of other
measures recommended by the Dis
trict Commissioners.
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Friends of the District in Congress.
including some on the appropriation
committee, are calling attention to
the fact that, however perfectly the
bureau of the budget Legislation. may
work in other directions, it cannot
work well SO far as estimates for the
District are concerned. btcause the
bureau is hardly able to investigate
all of the activities of large city
water service, fire safeguards. street
improvements, local railways, light
ing, charities, sewers. courts. ETC., SO
as to make intelligent estimates
Members of Congress generally feel
that this is something that should be
left to the District Commissioners,
and that the budget bureau should be
relieved of it. The District appropria-
tion bill, now in conference. shows
at a glance how varied are these ac-
tivities.
The District of Columbia has many
sincere friends in Congress. There are
other members who are Indifferent be-
cause the press Of other matters diverts
their attention from the fact that
this city, the National Capital, is en-
tirely dependent upon Congress. But
il some such program as proposed
by Representative Moore Is adopted
and a joint committee formed to con-
slider carefully and offer to rach
branch a well-thought-ou policy and
program for the federal city, it will
prove a real relief to Congisss itself
and boon to the Nations Capital.
There is promise of better days for
the District in Congress-,