Evening star., 1945-04-06
TydingsUrges
VoiCiein House
orDistrict
Suggests New Agency
Other Than Congress
To Make Local Lows

" NlONS IOSuI IOWS
Senator Tydings, Democrat, o
Maryland, a member Of the Sen
ate District Committee, declared
today he could "see no reason IL
the world why citizens of the Dis
trict should not have representa-
ton in the House"
The Maryland legislator made hi
statement when he appeared be
fore the Joint Committee to Reor
ganize Congress, headed by Senate
La Toilette, Progressive, of Wis
consin.
Senator Tydings said he did no
see how representation for the Dis
trict would upset the Nation"
Il think they ought to have rep
resentation. and it would take SOM
of the load off other members O
Congress" he said.
The Senator said the Joint Com
mittee would be well advised" tt
assign purely local legislation tt
So1llt HStIlCy OJlltl llldll SollSlSoo.
Appeals Take Up Time.
I'VE have got to keep Distric'
legislation at minimum, ht
pointed out AS member of tht
District Committee, I feel sorry fol
the people of the District when they
have to come up here and appea
to us on local matters. 1t takes ur
their time and the time of individ.
ual members of Congress as wei
as that of both houses of Congress.
Senator Tydings did not elaborate
on what other agency he would es-
tablish for consideration of mu-
nicipal problems. Senator La Fol-
lette, however, read a letter he re-
ceived from Senator McCarran
Democrat, of Nevada, member OF
the Senate District Committee ano
it's former chairman. in which the
latter urged the committee to study
his home rule bill for the District
Il believe this is a measure which
the Congress could enact with all
propriety." Senator McCarran wrote
1T is a measure which has the sup
port of the vast majority of the
residents of the District OF COlum-
bia 1 commend it to the study OF
your committee
Senator McCarran explained that
the time Senators and Representa-
tiveS are now forced" to give to
affairs of the District could far
better be expended on matters of
greater national Importance.
Step Long Overdue.
ITO relieve the Congress of this
burden by placing the municipal
government of the District of Co.
lunbia in the hands of elected rep
resentatives of the District of Co.
lumbia, in line with the established
tenets of our democracy, would be
to take a step which purely from the
standpoint of justice and equity is
long overdue Senator McCarran
said
Senator Tydings also recommend
ed a revamping of the committee
system TO consolidate congressional
functions which now are scattered
among a number Of committees. He
also suggested that each Senator
ought not to be allowed tc serve on
more than two major and two minor
standing committees.
IF he serves on more the Sem
atOr said, he cannot attend to any
of them
He also urged that the scope of
each committee be clearly defined
for the guidance of the Vice Presi-
dent in referring legislation.
Senator Tvdings further proposed
that Senate debate on minor con-
troversial matters be limited to from
three to five days He pointed out
that frequently a member speaks tc
only four or five other Senators on
the floor because most of the mem
bers already have made up their
minds on how they will vote. He
suggested that, unless a bill is OF
major Importance, voting time
be set several days in advance.
Capehart Offers Suggestions.
Senator Capehart. Republican, OF
Indiana proposed that eight major
committees be set up in the Senate
to correspond with the cabinet de-
partments. He also suggested that
the Senate publish daily resume
of what is being done before each
committee.
My observation is he said, I'VE
do not know what's going on. 1t
is impossible to know. There's not
enough time in the day. I have to
pick up the newspapers each morn
ing and afternoon to find out whats
going on in the Senate and House.
This condition exists throughout
the Government, he said. Executive
departments are growing so large
that the Government is being run
by deputy administrators, he said
urging that corrective measures be
taken.
Representative Gathings, Demo
crat, of Arkansas described mem
bers of Congress as the patched
pants members of the Government,
and said the House chamber looks
like a farmers hayloft"
The ceiling is falling down, the
walls need painting and the up
holstery on the chairs is worn out,
he said. He recommended that Con-
gress spend more money on itsel1
and provide allowances for long
distance telephone calls, expert per-
sonnel, travel for Congress members
and their secretaries to keep ir
touch with their constituencies anc
Office rent in their home districts.
The committee will meet again al
10 am Tuesday in the Senate Dis.
trict Committee room.