Evening star., 1927-12-01
MADDEN TO URGE
AUDIT COMMITTEE
House Reform Is Expected to
Draw Vote of G. 0. P.
Caucus Saturday.
BY WILLIAM r. KENNEDY.

The important House organization
reform of substituting for II small
committees, charged with investigat-
departments of the Government. and
expenditures on account of public
buildings. a single committee to be in
trusted with the supervisory audit, Is
expected to be voted upon in the
caucus of the Republican majority
membership Of the House Saturday
night.
This question was discussed at the
last session of Congress and was con
siderAd favorahly by the rules com.
nitfee OF the Mouse, and had the sup
Epolx Of both pernocratic and Reputli,
Ecan leaders as-s ,-s -ssssssss ~ VI Il l. Il j
1T Ii admitted that the existing ii
committees rarely junction. and opin-
ION Is held BY many that the change,
would round out the budget system
by fnsuring proper supervision of
expenditures and would aid the
controller general.
Madden Asks Reform.
The first advocate Of the change
was Representative Madden of Illinois,
chairman Of the House appropriations
committee, who, in an article in the
Saturday Evening Post, in 1928, said
the proposed committee ''functioning
with the general accounting office.
would. In my opinion. be a factor for
an incaiculable amount of good.
The crea ton of centralized commit.
tee on expenditures would relieve the
appropriations committee and provide
an agency whose Investigations would
be of inestimable value to the appro-
priating committees
In the Sixty-ninth Congress. the
proposition was brought forward in
a resolution by Repre- sentative Moore.
Democrat, of Virginia, which was dis.
cussed on the floor Of the House by
Representatives Madden, Moore and
others. and Mr.. Madden then empha-
sized the views In his article.
Within the last few days there has
appeared book by DIR. w. F.
Willonghby. director of the Institute
for Government Research treating of
the General Accounting Office. In
which he advocates such committee.
1t has been understood that the Con-.
troller General Is In thorough sym.
pathy with the idea or committee
given such jurisdiction to enable 1t
to keep In the same close touch with
-
appropriations of the Senate and
House keep In touch with appropria-
tions.
Importance Stressed.
In the course of his argument. DR..
Willoughbv said:
''The important thing Is that the
new committee shall be recognized as
one of the most important commits
tees OF Congress and that 1t shall be
under the definite obligation. each
wear, of receiving the report of the
Controller General. of making investi
cations with the aid Of that officer
and also possibly OF the Director of
the Bureau of the budget. of points
raised In the Controller Generals re.
port or otherwise coming to the
attention OF the committee. and Of
Importing the results OF its work to
Congress-"
Speaking on the floor of the House,
December 10, 1926, during discussion
OF the proposed reform. Representa-
tive Madden said.s'.I have felt that
this Is the one missing link In our fiscal
organizati tiofi If we had such a COM
mittee Il would be wonderful as
sistance to the committee on appropri.
atoms ! think we could, and feel
sure We would, so organize the ex-
penditures after the money is appro.
priated for them as to keep all the
expending officers of the Government
within the law
1t. 10 expected that Representative
Madden will lead the effort in the eau,
GUS Saturday night for adoption of
this reform.