Evening star., 1943-02-12
House Takes
Step to End
Legal Abuses
Probe Of 'Bureoucrots'
Points to Finish Of
Rubber Stomp Era
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

The House of Representatives has
taken significant step that might
be called declaration of independ
ence-the first after nearly 10 years
OF rubber-stamp acquiescence BY
Congress in the arbitrary action OF
the "bureaucrats" imbued with the
philosophy that in government the
end justifies the means.
BY vote Of 294 to so, in which
many Democrats joined the Repub-
lican party in creating a new ma
'jority in the House, resolution was
passed that creates an investigating
committee Of seven members to look
into the procedures, regulations and
penalties imposed by the bureau.
Gratis" under the alleged guise of law
fulness.
Many Of the executive orders
placed before the President for sig
nature have been drafted by clique
who use tricky phrases to cover up
uSpA'AoANc pilop, VA ellClI AdIC, lldNC
no possible relationship to the order
but which are deemed cognate by
the bureaucrats. Thus the citizen
Is deprived of constitutional rights
by the mere process of imposing
penalties for violation of an execu-
tive order. Many of these regula-
tions not only have the force of law
In threatening Jail or Imprisonment
but they carry with them far-reach-
ing economic power.
Response to Protest.
In response to Nationwide pro-
test, the Congress has acted. The
resolution is broad enough to inquire
why workers are compelled to re-
main members of unions or lose their
Jobs and right to work. 1t is broad
enough to inquire into the activities
of the War Labor Board in going
beyond the scope Of its original
function. It is broad enough to In
quire how the Bureau of Internal
Revenue gets any authority to con-
fiscate or tax salaries when there is
no tax law on the statute books
covering such limitation or granting
any funds for the exercise of such
unlawful functions.
The resolution was not aimed at
any particular agency like the War
Labor Board, but against all execu-
tive agencies or commissions that
have played fast and loose with
the rights, privileges and immuni-
ties OF the citizens of the United
States" It is a return to consti-
tutionalisn; it is also an effort by
publicity to check the spread of
the abuses which have been grow
ing in the last decade under the
specious claim that the public well
fare was at stake.
It is one Of the saving graces Of
democracy that the people occa-
sionally empower their elected rep
resentatives to look into misbe-
havior on the part Of government
ofhcials appointed to of{ice. Under
our system Of government these
appointees are not accountable to
any one but the President. and he
has a rigid tenure Of four years.
Under the parliamentary system,
the misdeeds of executive officials
Or administrators can turn out Of
ONCE cabinet or ministry and the
whole executive power can be
changed over night.
So in America the congressional
investigating committee, acting for
the people, make its inquiries. Since
congressional elections are held
every two years and since, in this
case, the presidential election is to
be held next year, an opportunity
to determine accountability by
means Of public investigation arises
Misuse Of Committees.
Many congressional committees
overstep the bounds OF propriety.
The present administration has in
stigated more misuse OF congressional
committees than any administration
In the last 50 years. That's why
It Is so dificult to understand why
the administration has fought so
vehemently against the continu-
-ance of the Dies Committee-the
means whereby Communists are
held at arms length inside and out
side the Government.
1t is significant that many left
wingers have kept up their attack
on the Dies Committee, but reso-
hutton voting continuance Of the
committee has been passed again
this week by an overwhelming ma
tority. Whatever mistakes the Dies
Committee has made in its approach
the fundamental idea behind it still
has the backing of the American
Federation of Labor, the American
Legion and the patriotic societies OF
the country. This is enough to in.
sure a majority. These oreaniza
tions see Communism in the C1C
and they see it cropping up here ano
there inside the Government. 1t L
significant that the present admin.
istration never began even its half
hearted elimination OF the com
munistic- minded persons in its ranks
TIL the Dies Committee started IL
operations.
America has inside her economy
some bitter cleavages on theological
and social questions. The Fascist
minded are as much menace u
America as the Communist minded
Neither are true Americans and oc
casionally- in the extremes OF com
mittee hearings injuStices are dom
to innocent persons, But, IN tn