Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-25

arranged by The Washington Star and
broadcast over the coast-to-coast net
work of the Columbia BroadcaSting
System, follows:
Under our archaic rules, the House OF
Representatives ceases to be repTesen-
tative body. 1t no longer represents the
constituents back home. 1t has become
a rubber stamp to approve the afhrma-
tive DEGREES of its masters, the auto
cratic triumvirate-the Speaker, the
majority leader and the chairman OF
the Rules Committee. Its arrogant
masters, in preventing consideration OF
legislation, exercise veto power more
effective than can the President OF the
United States and do not even con-
descend to consider the wishes of the
membership of the House. They have
reduced the House to a mere cipher
an impotent legislative body. Under the
rules, 80 per cent of the members may
desire to consider bill, but unl.Ss the
august triumvirate consent, there is no
way to get the measure up for con-
Sideration. Our tIiumvirate is drunk
with power and defies the III mbership
of the HOUSE. This is imam orican.
destructive Of representative govern
incnt tyrannous and into1erable. I
APPEAL to the electorate OF the Nation
to correct this outrage b. urging your
Congressman to vote to Eberalize the
rules of the next House so as to insure
his having a vote and voice on legisla-
ton affecting his constituents. Und-r
the present rules, the average member
has neither.
Plans to Offer Changes.
I am not a radical and am often
charged, on the contrary, with being
too conservative; but have determined
to do all in my power to have the rules
amended so a numerical majority OF the
members of the House, irrespective of
political party affiliation, can function
and legislate as contemplated by the
Constitution. 1t is manifestly impossible,
with our large membership, to have
unlimited debate as is the case in the
Senate, but it is a travesty on popular
government that, when majority of
the House desire to consider a bill or
vote on a vital public question, four or
five members holding similar commits
BionS to our own can prevent it. Upon
what meat doth this our Caesar feed
that he has grown so gr2at?" propose
to exert every effort possible to correct
this mockery on popular government.
am conscious that there is no pos
sibility of having the present House
amend the present rules. Under the
Constitution of the United States, each
House in every new Congress adopts its
own rules. 1t is my purpose, before
JIlc lOT IIle HSAb HOUSE are
adopted, to offer several amendments
to them which will not clog business but
will restore the House to its former
position of a representative body and
enable majority to work its will. am
whole-heartedly in favor of the rules
shall sponsor whittier my party con-
trolls the House or is in the minority.
believe in fair play and democratic
form of government
Obviously. it would be futile for me to
discuss in detail with a radio audience
the technique of the proposed amend
ments to the rules, but be assured they
will accomplish the object sought. Be-
fore discussing the amendments, let me
illustrate how the present rules work,
showing the absolute necessity for
liberalization. The indefensible Smoot-
Hawley tariff bill was passed under a
gag rule. The bill contained 434 pages.
of which only 4 pages were read to
the House for amendment. OF the 727
paragraphs, only 6 were read and
considered OF the ABS members of
the House, only Is, the Republican
nlittee who originally prepared the BILL
could authorize the offering of single
amendment to the bill when 1t was
being considered in the House. Not a
single Democratic member was permit
ted to offer an amendment. The Senate
adopted 1858 amendments to the BILL
Under the House gag rule, the House
adopted all but Sven Of them, in block.
by one vote. The triumvirate permitted
the House to vote individually on only
seven of the Senate amendments Can
any red-blooded, unbiased patriotic
citizen who subscribes to our form Of
government and desires we'll considered
legislation by Congress approve this
legislative policy?
COnferees Defy House.
Let me call your attention to several
important bills pending in the present
Congress on which our bosses" will
not permit the House to vote: The dis
position of Muscle Shoals. The tax
payers have invested at Muscle Shoals
over a hundred and fifty millions of
dollars. The question before Congress
is not one OF putting the Government
in business at Muscle Shoals for the
Government is now in business there
generating a small amount of electric
energy and selling it to the Alabama
Power Co. The power developed by the
Government is sold to that company at
an average price Of mills per kilowatt
hour and resold to the consumers by
the company at from 5 to cents pei
kilowatt hour or over 25 times its cost
to the company. Mai. Gen. Brown
chief of the United States Engineers
testified before committee of Congress
that the Alabama Power Co. had the
Government at its mercy and that, un-
der existing conditions. the Govern
ment could not obtain fair price fol-
the power. For 10 years the power anc
fertilizer interests have prevented legis'
lation on this subject, which is a ma
tional disgrace and injustice to the
farmers and taxpayers. Since the 4tt
day of June, 1880. bill dealing witt
this subject-matter has been in confer
ence between tho House and the Sen
etc, The House cnnferees will not reach
an agreement Nth the Senate con
ferees, and even refuse to report bacl
to the House disagreement, which
would permit the House to appoin
other conferees OF take other action OF
the subject-matter. A large majority 0
the House would reach an agreemen
with the Senate II permitted to vote
The House conferees defy the House
Under the present rules. without tn
consent of our triumvirate the Hous
is powerlesS to act. One OF the rule
shsn propose would correct thi
monsrrous condition and permit tn
House to deal with the subject
The Senate last Spring passed
Joint resolution TO postpone for on
wear the authorit- of the Interstat
Commerce Commission to consolidat
the railway systems O. the Nation. TIE
or twelve Western States are vital
interested. and their Governors an
Representatives in Congress begged an
pleaded that the House should conside
the resolution. Our masters were OK
durate. and the resolution has lot bee
considered by the House up 10 this dat
One of the rules / shall propose woul
correct this tyranny and place 1t With
the power of a majority of the Hou$
TO consider this and similar resolution