Evening star., 1945-04-02
Congress Urged
To0verhau|
Funds System
Appropriations Often
Passed BIindIy,
Jensen Complains


unless it overhauls its system of
making appropriations, the Amer
lean people will take matters in
their own hands.
Representative Jensen, Repub-
lican, of Iowa, a member of the
House Appropriations Committee,
told the Joint Committee to Re-
organize Congress that appropria-
tions bills often are passed blind
ly" without most members of Con-
gress knowing anything about the
real need of the department for
which the funds are earmarked.
while the war is on," he said, I'VE
will pay until it hurts. but when
the war Is over, unless Congress
proves to the people that we are
making every penny count, we're
going to be in bad way. We have
some housekeeping to do or repre-
sentative government is going to
fail"
Agrees System Is Outmoded.
Representative Monroney, Demo-
crat, of Oklahoma, co-chairman of
the Joint Committee, agreed that the
appropriations system was out
moded. ?
I'VE are proceeding on Civil War
methods" he said. TT was only
two years ago that we cut out an
item for salt for oxen in our mill
tary appropriations. We ought to
get rid of lot of legalistic Ian
guage and install modern account
ing methods"
Mr.. Jensen said he intended to
introduce bill in the House today
which would set up independent in
vestigating stats for the minority
members of appropriations subcom-
mittees to keep an account of the
way money is spent by the de-
partments.
Under the present system, the
peoples representatives just don't
have enough facts on which to
spend the peoples money" he said.
Sees Postwar Wedding.
After the war, he predicted, Con-
gress would weed out many agencies
and bureaus which have spent large
sums of money during the past sew
eral years. He pointed out that every
American taxpayer would be watch
ing Congress carefully and that If
we don't waste any money, even
with our large national debt, I'm not
afraid of bankruptcy or imitation for
this country"
Senator Taylor, Democrat, of
Idaho, who was a Snowman before
being elected to Congress last fall,
appeared before the Joint Commit
tee to renew his frequent complaints
that Congress does not put on
good performance for the people.
He suggested that the Senate cham
ber be renovated to improve the
acoustical situation.
II found out why so many Sem
ators are reading newspapers and
magazines while some one else is
talking" he said They can't hear
the speaker. They pick up the Con-
gressional- Record to see what the
Senator said yesterday, because they
can't hear what he's saying today"
Urges Amplifying System.
Senator Taylor suggested ah am
plifying system be installed in the
chamber.
II understand that was tried
once" he said. Then some one for
got to turn off the microphone, and
some one else made an indiscreet re-
mark which was picked up, so they
took the thing out"
He recommended that micro
phones be hung from the ceiling,
low enough to amplify the voices of
Senators addressing the floor but
not so close that they would pick up
"asides" made by members.
The new Senator also urged that
the work of certain committees, in
cluding the Senate District Com
mittee, be delegated to some one
else, but he did not specify to whom
this responsibility should go. He
complained of insufficient secretar-
ial help and cited as an example a
request which came to him from a
constituent to find out where colored
feathers may be purchased in Mex
leo.
II should have been studying
Dumbarton Oaks and Breton Woods
at the time" he explained, "but I
figured it was probably better for me
to find out about colored feathers if
l wanted to stay in the Senate"
might Shut Up Windbags.
Mr.. Monroney pointed out that
Senator Pepper, Democrat, of Flor
ida, who Is member of the joint
committee, was interested in broad
casting proceedings on the Senate
floor and asked how Senator Taylor
felt about this proposal.
Carrying the proceedings in full"
Senator Taylor said, wouldn't be
very interesting, but it might shut
up some of the windbags. 1t Ger
tainly could do no harm and it
would probably be cheaper than
mailing out Congressional Records"
Senator La Toilette, Progressive,
of Wisconsin, chairman of the joint
committee, announced that Senator
Taft, Republican of Ohio, would ap-
pear as a witness before the COM
mittee's next session at 10 am.
Wednesday in the Senate District
Committee room.
Col. Oliver Tell: