The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-10-23
. Clapper
DESPITE Inner Politics
Congress Showing Life
Tolsn Committee Really
Doing Things For Nation
Machinery Of House Is
Setting "Onee-Over"
BY RAYMOND CLAPPER

WASHINGTON - Although a
low exhibition of peacetime poll
tics at its smallest Is going on
in the senate-that old-fashioned
patronage grab at the manpower
commission-the house Of repre-
sentatives Is showing several
signs of taking q new lease on
life.
AsI mentioned the other day,
the house moved quickly and eff
GENTLY to lower the draft age.
once the administration finally got
IN its nerve 10 ask for it. Mem
bers of the house must take their
chances at the polls in less than
two weeks. But they went ahead
with this legislation promptly. as
II this was not a political season
You can't ask for anything more
than that
The Tolan committee, investi-
eating war labor problems. has
made another report to the house.
Recently President Roosevelt told
a press conference that one of the
things wrong in Washington was
that congressional committees
were investigating things that they
couldn't possibly know much
about.
The Tolan committee of the
house has questioned administra-
ton officials. It has had the as
sistance Of experts, including some
expert information about Britain's
experience with manpower. It has
produced now a report which is
far from flattering to the admins
tration. 1t reports that the adj
ministration has done little that
is effective about manpower, al
though the manpower commission
has been in existence six months.
The committee makes many criti-
cisms and numerous suggestions.
Some in the administration
won't like what it says, yet il
there is any place left for con-
gress in Washington that is ex-
actly the kind of serious work
congress ought to do. it is a
practical agency for investigating,
checking up. pointing out possible
improvements. The Tolan commit
tee of the house, like the Truman
committee Of the senate, is a
Woodworking, conscientious group,
using expert assistance, and try
ing to help the war effort with
constructive criticism. The work
of these committees is in the best
tradition of congress. They are
not political committees. Both are
headed by New Deal Democrats.
Another promising sign Is the
thought that members are giving
to improving the machinery of
congress, to make it more efficient
and more adequate to present
needs.
Rep. Dirksen of Illinois, a Re-
publican, is blazing a trail in this
respect. He has introduced sew
eral measures proposing improve
ments in legislative machinery.
He proposes a legislative postwar
planning and reconstruction SER
vice to aid congress, through ex-
pert research assistance, in deal
ing with the complicated economic
questions that will follow the war.
He also would staff congress
so that it could maintain a check
up on administrative agencies.
And from the things that leak
out as to neglect, inaction and
action within the ad-
ministrative agencies, such a
checkup, with occasional exposure.
would be the healthiest kind of
thing around this town. Much of
that has been done by the news
but we seem to be getting
In very bad for it. It's a job con-
gress can do better anyway, be-
cause in wartime the government
can sit down on a newspaper re-
porter like a ton of bricks If he
gets out of line.
Rep. Dirksen also proposes a
joint house-and-senate committee
to handle war legislation. That
would end duplicating hearings SO
that officials busy running the
war wouldn't have to repeat their
testimony before two, three and
four different committees, and an
swer the same questions several
times over. That is a simple and
most urgently needed wartime
change.
In contrast unfortunately, is
the spectacle in the senate wher.
two men, Mcclellan Of Tennessee
and Willis Of Indiana, look on the
war as a source Of political patron
age. They are trying TO make a
patronage grab on the manpower
commission. They want senate
confirmation Of al manpower en-
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