The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-06

how Congress could be stream lined" but that is only the begin- ming. Books have been written about It and magazine articles by the score. Private organizations like American Political Science Associa- ton and National Planning Associa- ton have made independent studies. A FEW SUGGESTIONS
 Suggestions range all the way from removing the snuff box which by Senate rule must be filled daily with fresh sneeZes, to removing many of the Congressmen them selves, making the Congress a smaller body, paying the members more money. giving them pensions to boot, and providing them with more help at higher pay so they can do more work and keep better check on the rest of the government. The problem is going to be one of getting any kind of agreement on what if any changes should be made boiling down all the proposed re- forms into a program acceptable to practical politicians jealous of their historical prerogatives.
 That being the case, many of the suggested alterations simply aren't going to get any place at all. Many of the things which seem the silliest like the Senate snuffbox and the right to filibuster - are a part of now-traditional rules which will be changed only over some solons' dead bodies. Proof of that Is the fact that although several hundred bills and resolutions to change the structure of Congress have been introduced by Congressmen in the last 50 years there were 50 reform bills offered in the 78th Congress - the last re- organization was in 1921.
 AS Governor Dewey might say, That's why it's time for a change" but as Governor Dewey found out, there won't be so many changes made.
 A straw in the wind Is provided by the recent House vote to recon- stitute the Dies Committee to In- vestigate Un-American Activities, making 1t 8 permanent instead of a temporary committee Senator Ro- bert M. LaFollette of Wisconsin in- troduced bill to cut down the number of Senate committees 50 as to streamline and simplify the work of the members. The need for some- thing of this kind is generally recog- nized. Yet on Mississippi Congress- man John E. Rankin's slick move to keep the "un-American" com- mittee going, the House voted to add one more permanent committee instead of simplifying by subtrac- tion.
 MORE POWER URGED
 This whole business of Congress slonal reform in its broader aspects is hinged on what you want your Congress to do. That's why you find suggestions for giving Congressmen less to do alongside suggestions that Congress should do more. Part of the agitation in the latter direction comes from Congressmen and others who feel that the executive branch of the government has usurped many of the legislative functions and that Congress should regain lost overs. Reformers who think this way would therefore build up a big Congressional staff, give its police powers over the executive de- partments and further curb the President himself.
 Counter to this is the sounder be- lief that reforms of Congress should be aimed at taking 1t further out of the executive business and keeping 1t what the Founding Fathers in- tended to be - law-making and policy making group, leaving ad- ministration and execution of it's orders to others.