The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1924-03-18
LACK OF RULING HAND
HAMPERS CONGRESS
HOUSES WITHOUT AN ORGAN
IZATION STRONG ENOUGH
TO CONTROL BUSINESS.
REENS ARE IN STRANGE HANDS

Sixteen Seasoned Chalrmen OF Import
ant Committees Defeated in Last
Election. Both Parties Between a
Group of Sharpshooting Radicals.
Frank B. Kent, the Washington
representative OF the Baltimore Sun,
writing to that paper says the big
trouble with the situation in congress
today is that there is mo one in
charge" Continuing, he says;
In neither senate nor house is there
an organization strong enough to con
troll. In neither branch is there lead
err whom a majority regularly follows.
The result is close to futility.
1t seems to make Joke OF the two
party system, under which the coun-
try is supposed to be governed. Meth
er party is governing. There IS no
order1iness or system about legisla-
ton. There is no surety about any
thing passing Affirmative action is
only possible through combination
of elements, and combination means
compromise. Consequently, there is
no such thing as thought-out pro-
gram possible. There IS no way to
redeem a campaign promise. There IS
no way except a hapfazard way to
do anything. Regular republicans and
regular democrats at both wings OF
the capital are shy a working MAORI
tv. In between is a group OF sharp
shooting radicals, unable to do any
thing themselves, but with the un-
doubted power and equally undoubted
desire, to Illustrate the administration.
Makes for Chaos.
In the old days it was possible to
90 to leaders of the dominant party
and get action one way or another
They had the power and took the re-
sponsibility. Their program went
Through, leaving the minority wildly
but futilely protesting.
The objection to that system was
that it lodged autocratic power IN the
hands of a few men, established an
oligarchy from which there was no
appeal and afforded protection to spe-
cial interests-but it did get action
and center responsibility.
The objection to the present condi-
ton is that it makes for chaos, leaves
congress without sense OF direction,
! prevents the enactment OF considered
measures, forces compromises on
principle instead OF details, promotes
iinaction and divides responsibility.
Not only is there no longer dom
Iinant figure in either house or senate,
not only are the presiding officers
in both more or less hgureheads but
the machinery of congress is i'll new
land strange hands. At the last cleo
ton. 1922. 10 seasoned chairmen OF
house committees. for one reason or
Ianother, lost their seats, and there
was similar though not SO large
loss in the senate Men do not get to
be chairman OF important house and
senate committees without long eX-
perience and considerable ability. Most
OF the real work i'll congress IS, or
ought to be, done in the committees.
Such a great change in one election
brought to the head OF some OF the
most vital committees untried and
comparatively inexperienced men. The
result is the competency Of the COM
mittees has diminished to an extent
patent to those who deal with them.
Things are not handled as efficiently
as in former congresses. The shit
was too sudden.
Legislative Agents" Pleased.
The futility and inaction of congress
under existing conditions is, from GER
tain viewpoints, not bad thing,
There is, of course, the argument
that the less congress does the better
for the country; that the fewer laws
passed the happier the people. That
argument does not hold, however,
when the business interests. wanting
taxes reduced in the soundest way
find there is no team strong enough to
prevent the principle of their bill from
being compromised. Then they yearn
for dominant and responsible leader
| ship.
There is one group in Washington
| to whom the present condition is
! pleasing. 1t is composed Of the highly
respectable Legislative agents" of spe-
cial interests, most OF whom are mem
bers Of the Monday Club. The situa-
ton is made to order for them Their
employers-the railroads, the banks,
the lumber people, the glove people,
the cement people, the beef people,
the power people-do not want any
thing passed-except the Mellon plan.
They want things not passed. Inaction
and futility suit them down to the
ground.
D,IA pxooJay apJ dS0