Show Our Government How How It Operates By William Willlam Bruella SPIRIT OF THE HOUSE HOUSEA A r E who observes es the course A followed by a n public nt at the con conclusion can hardly fall to arrive elusion eventually e that there Is one characteristic common to all of them namely n a desire nn an In In- In Insatiable Insatiable satiable determination to be vindi- vindi vindicated vindi vindicated for what they have hare done That really Is the Important factor In the career of or any politician and he or she charts n a course accordingly There Is no DO higher exemplification exemplification tion of this spirit to be found found any any- anywhere anywhere where than among the representatives representatives tives tinS who constitute the house There may be a few v Individuals In- In InI indeed In Indeed I deed there must roust be some who fall to keep n a weather eye ero on the trend of the sentiment In n their distrIcts but the number Is negligible when compared with the total house memo mem mem- mem membership membership of Frequently one I hears henrs loud pronouncements of In- In Independence Independence In Independence dependence on the floor of the house vociferous declarations that I the folks back home homo have e been b preach preach- preachments preachments I misled by propaganda or by ments from the opposition for Cor ul- ul ul ulterior tenor purposes But that very In- In Independence In Independence dependence Is the finest sort of or an appeal for vindication because It is isn isa Isn n a simple attempt to justify the course followed or to be followed But nut there really ought to be no quarrel with that procedure Look behind It Certainly after all the majority of oC voters in a con congressional congressional es- es district sent that IndivIdual to congress He TIe Is responsible to them They know It as well as he When lie he goes wrong on the burn ing Issue they retire him Thus they attain a responsiveness eness to their wIll The representatives representative's es e's vain de- de desire desire de desire sire for Cor vindication of or his acts re- re results results re results In exactly the thing tiling for which the house was created a proper reflection re- re re reflection of oC sectional and local view view- viewpoints viewpoints points a melting pot from which emerges that thing which Is called the will of the people All of or the tho above Is by way of saying say say- sayIn Ing In ing that the house Is a highly sen- sen sen sensitive body politically Receipt or of mall from the home district over a perIod of oC a n week mall that deals deag wIth some particular question has been known to cb change enough votes otes in the house to overthrow an apparent apparent ent strong majority Tn Take I e for ox- ox ex example ample the upset through which the house passed when rhen It was consider consIder- consIdering considering ing lag the revenue act of oC 1932 the 1032 the tax bill Under most circumstances party leadership controls firmly al- al although al although though rather easily But part party leaders meant nothing to the house after scores of Its lis members began hearing henring from back home borne In opposition opposition opposition to the sales tax that bid td been recommended for passage pas ge by Its ways ns and antl means committee Representatives Representatives of all shades of or opinion were were panicky Why Because they I wanted to have ha the voters oters vin- vin vindicate vin In vindicate them at nt the polls in the next nest election and they were not sure they could convince the electorate of the propriety of their course had they supported a n direct tax ills on things s we buy A representatives representative's term Is only two years cars Once he be Is elected ho necessarIly must start solidifying the position thus gained lie He knows that opposition will be out there Inthe In Inthe inthe the field all nil the time making hay while he lie sta stays s 's In Washington It may be In his own political party or orIn orIn orIn In another part party But It usually Is there just waiting for an nn opportunity Thus the successful candidate must look 1001 to his Ills laurels from the start and he usually does so by fos- fos fostering fos fostering legislation of particular ben bene benefit ben benefit to his bis district lIe He has to choose a side sille however on ques- ques questions ques questions of Importance to the whole nation and on these his Ills ordinary and course and easiest Is easiest Is to align him him- himself himself him self with his political party Yet oftentimes that flint course proves fatal So the life of representatives es dur dur- durin dur- dur during during in ing his two two- year two term Is just one attempt after another to guess uess what tho majority In his district The desire for power seems to go hand In hand with the desire for vindication It always has been n said that In politics as In war ar the spoils go to the victor and the spoIls accompanying in control of the house are worth considering from Crom the standpoint of well-built well political fences out In tho the home district The Then n party In the house as ns In Inthe the senate gains the chairmanships of all committees It means control of legislation It means appointment of dozens of Job seekers ers and It means a voice rolce In management or of orthe the party throughout the nation With that control goes the speaker speaker- speaker ship ship of or the house an honor of great greatest est eat consequence to some member of the majority part party It Is la all nIl a part of a n great game called politics When all things are considered however when all factors and anel in- in In Influences and causes and effects are weighed d the scales appear to bal bal- balance bal bol balance ance to the side of benefit to the tho people This spirit that seems to grIp every man or woman sent to the house cannot connot be he eliminated In our two party s system stem of or govern govern- go ment government but why should It be do- do do cd when the sum total of Its effect Is to make representation pos sible Bible possible for a people too numerous to get together In to a town hall hull meeting m 41 13 in New p pcr Union |