Evening star., 1946-11-10
Republicans Facing Golden Opportunity:
To Establish Party Prestige in Congress
By Prompt Streamlining of Committees
Elimination of Choice
Posts Called For in
Reorganization Act
By J. A. O'Leary

Inc 6SpuD1CdIlS nave SOiucIl UPpol~
tunity as they take over the reins on
Capitol Hill to build up the prestige Of
Congress and their party by going
through promptly with the reforms called
for in the congressional streamlining law.
The first and hardest test they face
is the requirement IN the act that COM
mittees be cut down from 48 to 10 in
the House, and from 80 to Is in the
Senate.
Keymen in the victorious COP
have not yet gathered to discuss the
problems of House and Senate organiza-
ton, but there are no advance indica-
tions that they will try to sidetrack the
streamlining job, designed to make the
law-making process more efficient.
Morse Favors Action.
Senator Morse of Oregon, one of the
more liberal minded Republicans, made
it clear yesterday that any move to put
1t off would be resisted.
Il thought it was good bill when I
voted for it, and I still think so,' said
the progressive Westerner "It is the
clear responsibility of the Republican
majority to carry it out"
The Oregonian added that if later
experience indicates need for changes
in the law he would consider them, but
said any effort to put it aside at the
start would be "a confession of playing
politics"
The ink hardly was dry on the law in
August when reports began to circulate
| around the Capitol that resolution to
postpone the committee mergers would
be introduced in January. The election
campaign had not begun, and few
politicians thought then the Democrats
would lose control of both houses. Sup
porters of congressional streamlining
feared that Senators and Represent
atives who rank high on the committees
slated for abolition would support o
postponement move.
A few members have expressed the
opinion since the returns were counted
that it should be easier for new party
just taking over control to carry out the
committee mergers than it would have
been for party long in power
control it meant actually taking chair
! manships away from AZ ,members-29 in
| the House and 18 in the Senate That
would have been more difficult than
| giving chairmanships to Al Republicans
who expected to get them before the
Reorganization Act passed, but who will
not be stepping down from a position
| of advantage.
While there is logic in this argument,
| 1t Will still require courage and a show
of craftsmanship on the part of the
new Republican leaders to resist the
temptation to keep the existing COM
mittee setup
It is not likely to seem easy to vet
eran Republican Representatives and
Senators to have their committees abol-
ished just when they are about to step
into the chairmanships after spending
10 or Is years as minority members,
climbing to the top under the seniority
rule.
But they voted less than four months
ago to make these improvements in the
framework of Congress and if, in the
flush of victory, they should reverse
themselves, the unfavorable reaction in
the country probably would do the Re.
publican Party more harm than the
chairmanships would be worth to its
members.
Another factor that should work In
favor OF carrying out the reorganization
is the arrival in January of SO large
a contingent Of new members in both
houses. They will have no seniority,
and are not likely to be much upset
by the merging of committees.
Important to Careers.
The man in the street may feel that
it is relatively unimportant whether
there are 20 or so committees in the
House or Senate. 1t becomes impor-
tant to the men who make public Office
career. because chairmanShips mean
power and prestige. Although there are
exceptions, important laws usually bear
the names of the committee chairmen
who steer them to enactment
Through the years, however, the COM
mittee structure became unwieldy and
overlapping. Hot debates frequently
arose over Jurisdiction.
Finally, the last session of Congress
was persuaded by Senator La Toilette.
Progressive, of Wisconsin, and Repre-
sentative Monroney, Democrat, of Ok.
lahoma to revamp the legislative ma
chine, not only by bringing many closely
related subjects under single commit
tees but by inaugurating many other
changes TO enable Congress to devote
more time to important national prob.
lens.
Here are examples of some of tine
consultations that will be mandatory
in January, unless the new Congress
changes the law:
In both houses the military and naval
committees would be united into an
armed services committee.
A variety of committees dealing with
Federal construction would be brought
together in a public works committee.
In addition to committee mergers, the
La Toilette Monroney Act makes other
far-reaching changes in legislative pro-
cedure that should enable the new
Congress to set record for efficiency,
The House. and Senate no longer will
find their dockets cluttered up by thou
sands of bills for the settlement of
private claims, or the building of bridges
over navigabie streams. General laws
have just been enacted to handle these
matters in the courts, or executive
branch.
Before they get into the job of ap.