Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-27
Selecting the District Committee

Although a new House District COM
mittee for the present Congress will
not be organized until the December
session, there Is already some consid-
Grafton and much more speculation as
to who will be appointed to pass upon
the legislative proposals affecting the
National Capital There are at least
eight places on this committee to be
filled by new appointments, and some
of the other hangover members may
decide to leave the District committee
If they get some other assignment more
pleasing to them and their constituents.
The Republican committee on COM
mittees makes up the slate of COM
mittee assignments for Republican
members; the Democratic members of
the ways and means committee, under
the leadership of Minority Leader Gar
ner, make the Democratic assignments.
Only very few years ago it was
custom to leave the District committee
till the last and then dump on that
committee the left-overs, or those not
desired on other committees. In other
words, the District committee was a
dumping ground. More recently Con-
gress has been leaning back toward the
earlier custom of making the District
committee one Of the strongest in the
entire House organization, appointment
to which was distinction. In the pres
ent Congress more than ordinary care
will be taken in selecting the member
ship Of the House District committee.
On the committee on committees are
men who themselves did able service
on the District committee, who know
its peculiar problems ard the wide scope
of matters to be considered and who
are anxious to assemble good working
committee.
There are in prospect at least four
Republican places to be filled on the
District committee. One vacancy al
ready exists; Chairman Underrill of the
committee on accounts and Chairman
Gibson Of the special subcommittee that
Investigated the municipal administra-
ton Of the District Of Columbia, both
Of whom have fathered important leg
islation beneficial to the Capital City,
have asked to be relieved from further
duty on the committee. Representative
Bowles Of Massachusetts, was not
candidate for reelection.
There are also at least four Demo-
cratic places to be filled on the District
committee. Representative Blanton, q
storm center in recent Congresses, and
who was always to be reckoned with on
District legislation. Is not in the present
Congress; neither is Representative GIL
bert Of Kentucky, who was the Demo-
cratic leader on the Gibson subcommit-
tee and active In the investigations.
Representatives Cole of Maryland and
Combs Of Missouri are not In the pres
ent Congress.
1t is well that those whose duty it
Is to select the new committee are CIV
ing the matter serious consideration
thus far in advance Of the time when
the committee will be organized. There
are number of very able men and
women in the Seventy-first Congress
who would gladly serve on this COM
mittee with Jurisdiction over suhstan-
tive legislation affecting the National
Capital.
Now is the time when the real friends
of the District can be OF service In TN
pressing upon the members Of the COM
mittee on committees and on the DEM
ocratic members OF the ways and means
committee that they want only the
! highest type of membership on the
District committee-member with broad
minds and a devotion to the best In
tsrests Of the Capital City.
/ Now is the time to urge candidates
who can and will work for the best in
! terests of the Nations Capital.
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