Evening star., 1926-03-28
NEW SAFEGUARD PLANNED
ON OUTCO OF u. S. CASH
Minority Party in House Would Domi-
nate Committee, With Power to
Check Public Expenditures.

which pushes them forward TO COM
pletion of the problems which con-
front them. The proposed new com.
mittee, Mr.. Madden believes, would
supply information not now available
upon which many financial reforms
might be based.
Holds Check Important.
Mr.. Connally argued that If one
wants to investigate any agency or
system one would not take part or
that agency or system to make tne
investigation, but some other agency,
which would have an interest In snow
ing If any wrong could be found. he
pointed out that the basic trouble IS
that the existing committees do not
perform their duties. He emphasized
that it is quite as important TO check
up the appropriations and see that
they are properly expended as 1t Is
to scrutinize them In the beginning.
Then Mr. Connally took up Mr..
Madden's suggestion that under the
old system of auditors in the various
departments, which has been succeed
ed by the general accounting office,
unless the auditor ruled as the ad-
ministration wanted, there was a Ger
tain feeling that he would lose his
Job; and he took UP the other sug-
gestion by Mr.. Madden that these
committees of Congress are always
composed Of the ruling majority, and
have, therefore, been more or less
Indifferent"
Carrying this line of argument to
logical conclusion, Mr.. Connally
proposed that the contemplated "one
great committee on expenditures
shall be composed of a majority OF
the minority party. The committee
l. tnI E%Yyy cfFa
to conceal anything. If the appro-
priation was properly expended, 1t
could find nothing wrong: If improper
ly expended, it would have an In
centive to expose It,"
Mr.. Madden, who Is recognized as
one of the most powerful men In
the House, besides giving emphatic,
unqualified approval TO the PROPOSE
ton as quoted above, said he thought
that under one directing head, Of
large experience and integrity. the
work could be done comprehensively
through subcommittee much more
effectively than by II committees act
ing as independent entities" He in
sisted that a great deal depends upon
the man to be selected as chairman
Of such a committee, and said he
should be "a man of industry, un-
doubted courage, not to say integrity.
and that such man could not fail
to make a record for himself II he
would go to work.
Gives Historical Precedent.
Out of ancient history Mr.. Moore
drew an illustration of what he pro
posed: 1T is like the plan that was
thought of when the Greeks were
arranging to fight the battle of Mara
thon, when there were 10 generals
of equal authority; but finally it was
decided that the only sensible thing to
do was choose a single general, and
they chose Miltiades, and the army
won a victory"
Quick to safeguard against too much
power for the dominant party and to-
strengthen the check against the ap-
preparation in the interests of the tax
payers, with his always alert faculty
for neatly turning an argument, Mr..
Connally clinched his proposal by say
ing: "Miltiades. after he was appoint
ed, defeated his enemies; but. being
in the minority, 1 do not care to make
MiltiadeS too strong, If the committee
Is to be controlled by the dominant
party That IS why 1t would be wise
to give the minority control Of the
committee The disposition of the
committee at present is to refuse 10
investigate themselves or their own
party. To strengthen that disposition
by merging the power into one chair
man will make it easier not to investi-
gate unless the minority controls the
committee" He approved the plan
proposed by Mr.. Moore. but stressed
that "the reason for this condition is
that these committees have not per-
formed their duty and will not per-
form their duty"
So there the matter reSts-with lead
ers of both Democrats and Republi-
cans favoring the proposal. which
would become effective on the closing
day of the present Congress.