Detroit evening times., 1945-01-22
POLITICAL
PARADE
By George
RothwelI Brown

NOTilWSlI DfOWIl
TVIE current agitation for the
Il So-callcd "strcamllning of
Congress is beginning to assume
a decidedly miSchievous form.
An influential news paper,
with strong international iean-
ings. most inSldIously placed al
the top of a list of proposed
congressional reforms, as one
of the things that Congress
could do 10 gear itself TO the
times, a provision TO permit
the ratification of treaties by
a simple majority vote OF the
two houses.
This is ignorantly or deliber-
ately m eading. Congress
could not effect this reform
by statute. since the power OF
the Senate solely 10 pass upon
and ratify treaties is embodied
in the Constitution.
Now the National Planning
Association. an entirely unoiii-
cial body, has proposed pro-
gram Of congressional reform"
which. if il &ere adopted, would
almost completely destroy Con-
greSS,
This organization. whose ap-
proach TO the subject II dis
cusSes is utterly unrealistic, was
not authorized by Congress to
make its report. II Just filed
it with the newspapers!
IT'S pfau- proposes that con-
Il gressional- salaries be in
creased from $4,000 10 $4,000
year. There are not 10 men
on Capitol Hill who would dare
vote for such a raise" II
would be political suicide.
incidentally it would increase
the total pay of the 531 sena-
tors and representatives from
S5,3lO,0O0 to S13.275,0 900 per
annun, and this while the
Little Steel formula" is still
more or less in effect. The pro-
poSal doesn't make good sense.
In addition each of the 531
would be given legislative
assistant at $4,000 a year,
bringing the grand total cost TO
S1S,5S5,000 per annum.
Another unrcalistic SugGes-
gestion is pensions for con-
gresSmen" up TO a maximum Of
$4,000 year. Congress tried
il not tong ago. and every mem
Der still shudderS as he recalls
the public reaction TO that at
tempted grab.
VNHE national planning boys
L few OF whom appear 10
have any clear comprehension
of Congress - put on their
agenda the abolition Of cloture
in the Senate, a proposition 10
which the Senate very properly
would not agree and which has
been carefully eNempt-in the
pending congressional study Of
the streamline reform
The other day Senator
Wheeler of Montana delivered
in the Senate a speech on inter-
national relations which was
very diStasteful TO the New
Deal administration.
He was able 10 do this. 10
present his views to the coun-
try because the Senate is still
an open forum--the only one
left on earth today in any
parliamentary body
The destruction or curtail-
ment Of this right OF freedom
OF speech in America would be
a calamity particularly at this
time when the people cannot
afford TO have only one side Of
question The administration
-sft-r--TrryUrTCd 10 thcm.
Long established Senate rules
permit a Senator 10 turn The
picture over and expose THE
OTHER SIDE, however long a
time it may require.
THE NATIONAL PLANNING
i ASSOCIAT ION proposes
two reforms" both Of which
would still further weaken the
power of Congress and agCran-
die that of the Executive al the
expense of Congress
II would prohibit the rider,
that is TO say a provision IN n
bill not strictly related TO the
bill adopted for the specific
purpose of compelling a preSi-
dent 10 accept a provision de-
sired by Congress. generally
over the objections Of the preSi-
dent. or else veto the entire
measure containing the rider"
The association also recon-
mends that appropriation bills
be framed on broad lines,
with detailed expenditures Of
money thus appropriated left TO
the executive departments. in
other words, ii would legallZc
the lump-Sum Squandcrlng of
money, and surrender the
control Of the purse TO bu-
rCduCrHCy.
The congressional tlnkcrs are
in fun CRY. Congress will do
well 10 watch lis step, and pre-
serve its freedoms, too many of
which already have been Sacri-
feed under the Roosevelt New
Deal.
UNLESS public opinion be-