Evening star., 1923-12-02

himself forward. He debated only on
questions that the House recognized
1t was his duty to discuss. For that
reason, If for no other. when he arose
to speak he was listened to with
close attention.
For many years he was chairman
of the civil service reform commit
tee and took charge of many mea"-
ures beneficial to the constantly
growing army of government en-
tions committee and one of its most
conscientious members for fifteen
years and thus took an important
part In developing Uncle Sans
workshop" which is the biggest in
dustrial establishment on the face
of the earth.
The very important change of CIV
ing clerks to members OF Congress
was followed by the building Of
the white marble Hou q Office build
ing. AS a result of this the general
conduct of business in the House has
been revolutionized Since then.
through the aid of their clerks, the
members have vastly increased their
correspondence and thnir per onal
contact with their constituents. They
now sINend = large part of their time
in their offices.
Members Work HARDER.
During his time In the House
age member has grown much more
Industrious than he used to be, and
that the members a a whole devote
themselves to doing more for their
districts in the way of correspond.
ence and by departmental work. OF
course. that is due partly to the fact
that Congress itself is in session
nearly twice as long as it used to be.
So that Congress is becoming more
the exclusive and active work of
memberl When Sneaker Gillett
first came here many, if not most,
OF the members practi"ed law or
conducted private businesses at home
more than half of the time. Now
active business life and do his duty
as a r"pr sentative at the anne
time, the Speaker advises.
When Mr. Giilctt frat came to
Congress the salary Was $1,000 for
doing. only about one -ha!f the work
IA member does today. Now he draws
$500 for double the work and cam
not come anywhere near buying as
with $1,000 So that the representa-
tive has had personal experience
with the increasing cost OF living
and the decreasing purchasing power OF
larger salaries.
Speakers Power Limited.
The changes in the rules has made
the speakership much more of Ju-
dicial office than it used to be. when
the Speaker was chairman OF the
rules committee he practically de-
cided what legislation should come
up Having the appointing of COM
mittees he had at hand enormous
patronage, which he naturally used to
further his program OF iegl glslatIon.
Thus he was not only tltularly. but
most actively and actually the party
leader. Now the Speaker is not a
member OF the rules committee, has
no patronage, and the result, nat
urally. has been TO center MS atteH-
ton on the rules and conduct of bust
ness in the House and 20 develop
those along judicial rather than par
tisan lines.
Speaker GAlett never has been
overruled and some OF his decisions
stand as preccdentS.
In his Judgment the House has been
much less bitter, heated and intense
in partisanship during the last fifteen
years than previously. The old parties.
he finds. have more respect Tor ana
confidence in each other. While OF
course. there are often heated con-
tests they are not marke with the
fierceness and distrust which Mr.. Gill
lett can remember early in his serv-
ice, when more than once the feeling
between the Two sides of the House
was so bitter that IL seemed quite
likely they would rush into phy slcal
combat.
1t is many years since we have had
any such feeling as that. he says, and
the result is TO make the presiding
officer more impartial and guided
more by the judicial Interpretation
of the rules than by partisan neces-
sity.
The change three years ago to the
federal budget system, taking from
number of committees their power to
make appropriations and vesting all
jurisdiction over appropriations in an
enlarged appropriations committee, IS
a most radical piece of progressive
legislation, Speaker Gillett feels. and
undoes a great harm and menace 10
good government. 1t puts the ap-
propriations back where they were
forty years ago before they We're sub
divided as result of personal am
bitions, which seriously interfered
with the economic preparation OF ap-
propriation bills.
This is a great reform. strikingly
in the interests of economy" Speaker
Gillett says, which he is proud TO look
upon as an achievement of Congress
during his tenure of office.