The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1924-02-05
ACTIVITY OF LOBBYISTS
HAS AROUSED CONGRESS
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE
nrrKFD FOR ABILITY OF
MEMBERS TO RIP HIDE.
m MAKE EXAMPLE OF BOX
p.csn+ Flood of Form Letter Propa-
o.rds Makes Hair Bristle on Solons'
Necks. Apprehension Among a
hundred or Two Organizations.


I1rrdred or Two Organizations.
Observation-Disclosures been
4renched by wave after wave Of propa-
,o,da in recent years, congress has
s s~ extremely irascible on the sub
5:ac+ and now the merest suspicion
,Iat if is being treated to another de-
hoe is enough to send up roars of
Indignation. -.--..
hurst of temper in the senate over
,be Bok peace award and the sum
mons mo which has brought the Philadel-
,bia editor rushing down to explain
r. the senate committee. Box is I'M
Inckv in that upon his head will fall
GOOD deal OF the indignation which
has boiled up over the drive in behalf
nj the Mellon tax plan.
While senators and congressman
were still tuning over the hundreds
nj dai1v letters coaxing, imploring or
threatening them into supporting the
Mellon tax plan Box launched his
referendum on the world court and
the modified league OF nations. This
was at once regarded by the senators
as another propaganda drive.
Boiled Committee.
Technically, the investigation of the
BOX award is supposed to be an un
biased search for the facts, but the
powers in the senate, with cruel cum
ming. stacked the committee and there
.-1.cot,C,, +tot +bIc
tee intends to make an example" of
Box that will cause others to pause be-
lore they direct a propaganda cam
pagn at congress.
In TACT. the wrathful attitude in the
senate is causing some apprehension
among the 200 organizations which
maintain lobbyists here under one
guise or another, for the purpose of
forcing desired legislation through
congress or OF suppressing undesired
measures.
Congress is weary of being belabor-
q ed by every conceivable sort of organ
4 ization. The art of propaganda-lob
u bying has reached such perfection that
within "a hours congress can be food
n ed with kilograms from every corner
4 OF the United States demanding action
on particular measure. Practically
every industry of any consequence in
] the United States has Offices here for
4 the purpose of directing legislation.
i Farmers, railroads, labor, coal opera
4 tors, contractors, lumber men, negroes,
motorists, prohibitionists, vets, health
societies, dealers in practically all com
modties such as sugar, textiles and the
\ Ike maintain legistive bureaus here
3under one name or another.
Fun Gone From 1t.
They have made lobbying matter
OF efficiency, which was taken all the
y fun out OF it for the senators and con-
gressmen.
Lobbying is an old art in Washing
ton and there was time before Mr..
Andrew Volstead became famous,
when it was regarded rather pleasantly
by its victims. In those days lobby
ing was done around we'll set-up din
ner tables, with excellent food and
choice wines and liquors But that
sort OF thing is past.
Only year ago a New York sugar
magnate attempted to revive the old
time method by setting up bar in a
downtown hotel where members of
congress were invited to come and
drink and listen TO the sugar mans ar
sument in behalf of a claim which he
mad pending. But drys heard of it and
there was so much airing of the Incl
gent that few lobbyists care to take
1 n, RISKS which this msthod involves in
sthese dry days.
SO lobbying has become a cold, bus
s5ness-hke affair Of card indexes, form
SetterS, kilograms, calls from leading |
scllzens and "picketing" at the capitol.
/ agents OF various interests dog the
8ootsteps OF doubtful senator's and
congressman until they are pledged,
n then watchers" sit in the galleries
y see that the members vote right"
All OF which has rubbed the self
8e>pect OF the average member until
Rl9lWW he has found scapegoat upon
EIhch to vent his wrath. So it is
,.al senator Moses, Reed, of Missouri;
afaW,ay and the other sharp-tongued
R7eIn5ers of the senate investigating
committee dive into Edward w. Box
S''a unconcealed g1ee.