Evening star., 1945-04-27
Gore Proposes
War Tours for
All in Congress
Tells Joint Committee
Such Trips Help;
Hits 'Junket' LubeI

A suggestion that all members OF
Congress be permitted to make in
spection trips to the European thea
ters OF war was advanced today by
Representative Gore, Democrat, OF
Tennessee, as he deplored the COM
mon labelling of congressional tours
away from the Capital as "junkets.
Testifying before the joint COM
mittee studying modernization. OF
the organization Of Congress, Mr.
Gore declared that the gathering
of f1rst-hand information by House
and Senate committees should be
recognized as a. duty" instead of a
subject of stigma"
In a discussion of the needs of
Congress for first-hand information
on subjects relating to legislation,
he protested that every time a
committee of Congress goes out of
Washington the trip Immediately is
branded as junket. That's de-
plorable."
Praises Horror Camp" Tour.
Commencing the arrangements
made for tour of the German bat
tie fronts and the horror camps"
he said it would be helpful and de-
sirable if all members of Congress
make such inspection tours. Per
haps that is impossible, due to the
difficulties of transportation" he
added.
Mr.. Gore also recommended a
modification of the seniority rule in
the selection of congressional COM
mittee chairman so that "at least
some consideration would be given
to fitness"
His suggestion was that each COM
mittee elect its own chairman, per-
haps with some rule that to be
eligible a candidate for chairman
ship must have served some mini
mum number of years.
He said he was not questioning
the fitness OF any particular chair
man. but added: You would not
have to look very far to see that
strict adherence to the seniority
rule-that the chairman is some
member that has warmed a seat
in Congress longer than other COM
mlttee members-can be carried to
ridiculous extremes"
Reward for Experience.
He said he believed in "rewarding
experience" gained by length of
service, but that still there should
be some rule for fitness" Along the
same line, he protested that COM
mittees should be made more dem
ocratic" and that the chairman of
a committee should not be able to
pigeonhole bill regardless.
AS a means of strengthening the
position of Congress in relation to
the executive branch of the Gov
ernment, he suggested development
of a research bureau of trained :,
permanent personnel, and proposed
this be centered in the Library of
Congress. -.-. ---.-..~na
The committee. headed by Sen
ator La Toilette, Progressive, of
Wisconsin, also called on Leslie L.
Biff1e, secretary to the Senate, and
Lewis Deschler, parliamentarian for
the House, for means of improving
the workings on Capitol Hill.
Combination of the document and
folding rooms of the House and
Senate into one unit, as a means Of
eliminating duplication of the serv-
ice, was suggested by Mr.. Bif11e. He
also supported proposals for a re-
search staff to aid members of
Congress.
Data to Guide Speaker.
Mr.. Deschler, under questioning
by committee members, stressed the
necessity of keeping instantly avail
able for the guidance of the Speaker
and the membership of the House
data on myriad of items in legis-
lation and legal precedents to gov
ern decisions on points of order and
procedure. While hesitating to ask
for more help for his Office, he said
a law clerk and secretary were
badly needed.
Mr.. Deschler was described by
Representative Monroney, Demo-
crat, of Oklahoma as "the supreme
court for the Housewife doesn't
even have a law clerk or secretary"
Mr.. Deschler agreed it did take
time for him to have to type out
his own notes. He said he wasn't
complaining, but that it was a fact
he had worked three nights in the
past week until midnight or / am.
to prepare data for rulings,