The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-03-22

dDOuL because IL shows that enlightened public opin- ion, intelligently directed, can exert a wholesome influence to right the wrongs of government in dem- ocracy, even in time of war. And it is a good case history to show what it takes to make the wheels go round in Washington.
 The study of congressional or- ganization now begun in open hearings before the LaFollete- -Mon- roney Committee is really the re- suit of four years of behind-the- scenes preparation by a number of individuals, congressman as well as private citizens. Spearheading many of these efforts has been the Amer ican Political Science Association, which in 1941 set up a Committee on Congress to see what might be done about correcting the growing disrespect into which the legislative branch of the federal government was rapidly falling.
 COMMITTEE TRIES NEW TACK
 Instead of doing the usual job of research, and writing another book which would soon be forgotten, the Political Science Association Com mittee on Congress decided on an unique experiment. It would seek to stimulate congressional interest in self-government and to arouse public interest in legislative reform at the same time.
 Dr. George G. Galloway was named chairman of the committee of 10 wel-known political scientists. Galloway, after short business career with American Telephone and Telegraph Company, had been connected with the Bureau of Municipal Research, the Twentieth Century Fund, National Planning Association, and Brookings Insti- tuition. For two years he had been in the National Recovery Adminis- tration, so he Knew his way around Washington. He began his congress sional reform activities with series of small informal dinner meetings with congressman from both poli- tical parties, at which the problems and practices of Congress were sym pathetically explored and discussed. These dinner meetings were held on the average of once month over the past four years, and cover ed perhaps 20 per cent of the Con- grcss.
 ENLISTED PUBLIC SUPPORT
 The Galloway Committee also stimulated forum discussions and radio round-table debates, maga- zine articles and books Late in 1944 they organized a National Com mission on the Organization of Congress to enlist public support for modernizing congressional machin- cry and methods. National Plan- ming Association had an independ- ent study of Congress made by the Cleveland engineering firm of Ro- bert Heller and Associates. League of Women Voters put congressional reorganization on its must" list. GalloWay's Committee made a re- port of it's own. Newspapers sup ported the idea from the very be- ginning. Gradually, the ball began to roll. It was the congressman themselves, however, who carried the ball for the big gains.
 Nearly 100 congressman have been asked to give the Joint Committee their ideas on how congressional procedure might be improved. Then other government officials will be heard and presentatives of civic groups and private individuals in- terested in government reform. The hearings will run over several months.
 A mass of suggestions for strengthening Congress is piling up. The Committee will make its first report April l. Dr. Galloway, who inspired much of this activity, is the Joint Committees chief of staff.