The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-07-27
LOOKING
AAE4D
y GEORGE S. BENSON
\ presideMf--HaSdiHg college
Ssarey. ArkaHsas
Paying Parliament

How would you like to be elected
to the board of governors of the
finest country club you ever saw?
Unless you are an exceptional per-
SOIL, you can't afford such a job. 1t
uses a lot of time and there's no
salary connected with it. Helping to
boss lovely palace in the middle
Of big playground is fun q
imagine) but it's an expensive pas
time.
People who habit such spots to en-
joy their spare time are in the finan-
cial upper brackets. If they work at
all, they do things they enjoy do
ing, or perhaps they do a few jobs
nobody else can do as WELL Such
wealthy people are usually compe-
tent but they engage others to
handle their routine work. This
leisurely class is growing steadily
smaller, but it still exists.
Work Well Done
A rich country club is proverbial-
ly well managed. 1t does not need
to economic and cut corners, but
that's only part of the story. 1t is
governed by men of singular ability
with spare time, who like their club
and take personal interest in it.
They have no better minds than
men who hustle for business and use
their wives for stenographers, but
excellence thrives on calm deliber-
alton.
By the way, Mrs. Harry S. Tru-
man used to serve her husband as
secretary when he was senator from
Missouri. The President told it him
self to the press while he was dis
cussing the proposal to allow addi-
tional expense pay to represent
atives. 1t would be hard to find
stronger testimony that members of
the Congress of the United States
need better compensation for the
work they do.
No Time to Think
In every practical sense, men,
bers of Congress have been elected
to the board of governors of the
worlds grandest country - not
country club. They represent impor-
tant segments of people who have
chosen them to help boss (not a
Playground the most influential
power under the shining sun, and,
until early last June, they got
$4,000 year = the pay of junior
executive.
One of Americas ugliest habits is
criticizing Congress for shortcom-
ings that result directly from being
poorly paid. No one man can study
all the profound issues congressman
must vote on, and no $4,000 man
can afford to pay experts to digest
them. Often congressman use pre-
cious hours doing chores for people
back home because they can't af-
ford enough competent assistants.
A Good Mans Job
Many solons labor Unexpectedly.
Rep. Doughton, who is past 81, rises
regularly at 500 am, and starts
his 12-hour day at $50; this after "a
years in the House and IA years
chairman of the Ways & Means
Committee. What 100000 official
of industry claims to be worth more
to his firm than Doughton is to his
state and nation? American legisla-
tors are top-fight, except in pay.
Must we send rich men to Con-
gress because poor men lack funds
to finance the job, or can't afford to
maintain an extra home in wealthy
Washington? Do we want incompe-
tents on Capitol Hill who stay there
because they could never earn so
much anywhere else? The answer is
"no' of course; America can afford
the best. Then congratulate your
congressman on this increase and
don't let him wait 20 years for the
next one.