Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-10-03
A New Surrender

n NEW OuITEI1OET
Q UBsERN1ENCY in The House Of Representatives has
- stricken down what should have been am effective
brake political sQuanderng in Washington al the very
hour when tremendous burdens imposed for the
national defense demanding that every possible cur
tament be made in nonessenta and nondetense eNpend
lures.
What happened was This
The exceedingly important post of chairman ef the
House appropriations committee was made vacant by the
death of Sl-year-old Rep Edward TAYLOR of Colorado
Mr. TAYLOR had been advocate OF public economy
whose views did not always prevail
The eligible successor to the craftsmanship was Rep
Clifton A. Woodrun OF y ifgIHa-
New Dealers did not want him because he also be-
heves in protecting the public purse
D ADICALS in the government and out Of IT. We're
IN hostile him because Of his vigorous investigation
Of the WPA which exposed the federal theaer project
a nationwide communstc activity supported by federal
funds and caused the project to be abolished by order OF
Congress.
AS rival to Mr. Woodrum The New Deal put forward
Rep. Clarence Cannon of Missouri, subseryent New
Dealer who has voted for virtually every spending bill
= Mr. WoodrIm and Mr.. Cannon had entered Congress
In the term and had been appointed to the approp2
tions committee on the same day
Asserting that there was no seniority between the
t+re aHHeH-ssHPfeeftefs eiaffcd Cha1rHans1p
for him the fmsv ground that his preceded that
OF Mr. Woodruff lphabecally-n the committee lists
Actually, however there is House PRECEDENT to
govern IN such circumstances
By this precedent when there is personal seniority
to apply a craftsmanship goes to him whose state
first admitted the Union and the appropriations chair
nanshp should therefore clearly have gone to Mr. Wood
rum, representing of the original f3 states
7 HOWEVER, when pressure was applied the congress
/ men responsible for making the formal appointment
were evidently unwilling to stand by Mr. Woodrum and
sustain the long established practice of the House
Mr. Woodruff therefore withdrew from the contest
rather than involve himself and the position in contro
versy, and the Craftsmanship went by default to MIR
Cannon.
str1fiarrrrcnt occurrence when congressional
principles assaed the Senate conducted itself IN
exactly the opposite manner.
vacancy had occurred in the craftsmanship of the
powerful Senate military affairs committee.
Senator Robert R. Reynolds of North Carolina was
entitled to the place.
The New Deal was bitterly opposed to him because
of his leadership the effort to keep the country out of
Radicals were opposed him because of his demands
that dangerous aliens be deported
TOR weeks the steering committee of the Senate de-
/ ayed the appointment, with the obvious purpose of
depriving Senator Reynolds of the craftsmanship.
But public opinion and the Senates regard for its
dignity and prerogatives finally prevailed and Sena
tor Reynolds received his well-deserved advancement
The seniority rule in Congress has been the best
device possible for selecting committee chairmen.
1t makes experience the qualification for these con-
trolling positions
1t keeps the charmanships from being degraded by
political log-rong and dispensed political rewards.
THE Senate episode tended very greatly strengthen
Il the system
The House incident, on the contrary has done much
TO weaken it.
There was no good reason why the Senate should
have broken its in the of Senator Reynolds.
And there reason, except political eXpedlency
for the failure of the House of Representatives to main
tain its good usance
Not onlN has the independence t4e-HeHse- beer
further administrative cause of governmental economy
has been made difficult unless Representative Can
surprises the public and his political friends.
He may soon have chance to do that.
is a
dering program, designed to put through medley of
previously rejected and dscredited spending
schemes in the guse of legitimate and harbors BILL
The people may be able to judge the chairman
of the House appropriations committee by his attitude
toward that proposed unprecedented treasury raid.
A Good and Wise Plan