Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-05-04
OHr Government
How 1t Operates
BY William Bruckarf
SPIRIT OF THE HOUSE

Is elected to office can hardly fall to
arrive at the conclusion, eventually,
that there Is one characteristic COM
mon to all of them. namely, a desire.
an Unsuitable determination, TO be vim
dicated-for what they have done.
That really Is the important factor In
the career of any politician. and he or
she charts course accordingly.
Theme is no higher exemplifeatIon Of
this spirit TO be found anywhere than
among the representatives who con-
stitute the house. There may be
few individuals. indeed. there must be
some, who fall to keep a weather-eye
on the trend of the sentiment in their
districts. but the number Is negligible
when compared with the total house
membership of 435. Frequently, one
hears loud announcements of indie
pendenee on the floor of the house,
voelferous declarations that the folks
back home" have been misled by
propaganda or by preachments from
the opposition for Interior purposes.
But that very independence Is the fin
est sort OF an appeal for vindlcation
because 1t Is a simple attempt to jus
tify the course followed or to be fol-
lowed
But there really ought to be no
quarrel with that procedure. Look
behind 1t. Certainly, after all, the
majority Of voters In congressional
district sent that individual to con-
gress. He Is responsible to them.
They know it. as we'll as he. When
be goes wrong on the burning ISSUE"
they retire him. Thus, they attain
responsiveness to their Will. The rep
resentative's vain desire for vlndca-
ton of his acts results In exactly the
thing for which the house was Gre
ated, a proper reflection Of sectional
and local viewpoints. melting pot
from which energies that thing which
Is called .the will of the people"
All of the above Is by way OF say
Ing that the house=is highly sensl-
tive body, politically. Receipt of mail
from the home district over q period
| OF week, mail That deals with some
particular question, has been known
TO change enough votes In the house
to overthrow m apparent strong ma
jority. Take for example the upset
through which the house passed when
twas considering the revenue act of
193o-the tax BILL Under most cir
cumstances, party leadership controls
firmly, although rather easily. But
| party leaders meant nothing to the
| house after scores of Its members be-
gan hearing from "back home" In OPP
| position to the sales tax that had been
| recommended for passage by It's ways
and means committee. Representa-
tives OF all shades OF opinion were
| panicky. Why? Because they want
| ed to have the voters vindicate them
| at the polls In the next election and
| they were not sure they could convince
the electorate OF the proprlety OF their
course had they supported direct
tax on things we buy.
a representative term Is only two
years. Once he Is elected, he neces-
sarily must start solidifying the po-
sition thus gained. He knows that OPP
| position will be out there In the field
/ all Of the time, making hay while he
stays In Washington. 1t may be In
| his own political party or In another
| party. But 1t usually Is there, just
waiting for an opportunity.
Thus, the successful candidate must
look to his laurels from the start and
he usually does so by fostering legis-
lation Of particular benefit to his dis
trict. He has to choose a side, how
ever, on questions of Importance to
the whole nation, and on these his
/ ordinary course-and easiest-is to
align himself with his political party.
Yet oftentimes that course proves fatal.
So the life Of representatives dur
Ing his two-year term Is just one at
tempt after another to guess what the
majority In his district desires.
The desire for power seems to 20
hand In hand with the desire for vim
dIcation. 1t always has been said
that, In politics, as In war, the spells
60 to the victor, and the spells &C
companying control of the house are
worth considering from the standpoint
Of well -bnllt political fences out In the
home district The majority party In
the house, as In the senate, gains the
chairmanships Of all committees, II
means control. Of legislation; 1t means
appointment OF dozens Of Job seekers
and Ii means voice In management
of the party throughout the nation
With that control goes the speaker
ship OF the house, an honor OF great
est consequence to some member Of
the majority party. 1t is all par
of great game called politics.
When all/things are considered
however Nhen all factors and infu
ences and causes and effects ara
weighed, the scales appear to balance
In the side of benefit to the people
This spirit that seems to grip ever,
man or woman sent to the house can
not be eliminated In our two party sys
tenn OF government, but why should
| ~ 1aetrnvad whom tho cl1Tra total nj