Show ts I f j p n nY Y j a sig lill ELMER ELMEK THOMAS I WHAT IS WRONG WITH Till Tun rIt GO I VT CONGRESS REPLIES EL ELMER IER rIlO S L By Dr I P NE Service C Writer lit cr I WASHINGTON Slay May What Zt 28 What Is wrong wrens wish wi h the government Congress answers Congress Congress- Congressman man Congress man Elmer Thomas of Oklahoma Then while whilo thousands of critical fellow citizens are aro agreeing ag him ho put puts the reverse English on his diagnosis by objecting that thai i I there Is too little of congress in the I government rather rither than too much He believes that congress as ns the peoples people's own chosen right richt arm Is the hope of the nation I GO GOVERNING BY DY S DURI When there Is hard work or a anew anew new problem ahead docs does congress aI I tackle the job Certainly not I not It creates a bureau or 01 board or commission and delegates to it i isome I Isome some of its own vital The present session promises to add half a dozen extra bureaus We Ve are getting a g government by bureaus addI I Instead of ot by the people Thomas co conversation In truth and In fact Is ismore more than Uan just Juit aI a I I western congressman attracting at- at attention at attention I to himself It Is la the con con- conI conviction conviction I of one ono who has taken part actively active I In public life lite ever since he made I made speeches as a 19 year year 19 schoolboy In the reo reo silver sliver cans cans- cam palen I or of o 36 96 He Is discussing here the rather sweeping resolution ho I introduced recently to Investigate th government go He lie proposes In brief that a committee consider the present Introspection mood of the nation for or tion and destructive committee criticism This Thu committee would ask the sam same question to which he Is giving hIs own answer Inquiring of ex Pres ident Taft Tatt presidential ex candi candi- candidates candidates dates judges ex ex governors and others who quality as ns elder states states- statesmen statesmen men His Its Idea tor for the Inquiry has Ims re- re re received wide notice Judge Judi o Elbert ElbertH ElbertH H IL Gary and Otto II 11 Kahn are arc among the notables who have havo writ writ- written written written ten to express their Interest Congress as it operates now could get its years year's work done In to 30 days das says Thomas and the re- re remark remark re remark mark Is III not exactly praise I It has gIven away awny authority and surrendered Its powers until little Is left The nations nation's nation finance finances which mean virtually the entire government government govern govern- I ment ment policy are under control 0 the the federal reserve board If It the railroads railroad want ant anything I they take It up with the Interstate I commerce commission not with congress If It Industry wants want any any- I thing anything it goes to the tariff commis commis- commission commission sion Ion Even en appropriations are moot moot- ly Iy ly dictated by tho the budget bureau I LARGE J nIP Efficiency In congress would not be helped by reducing the membership mem- mem even if it is now The Tho house would be just lust as a efti- efti Ident clent with 1000 i embers as ns at present A small mall group croup of loader leaders always will steer It It The large membership I Is desir desir- desirable desirable desir- desir desirable able to attend to affaIrs affair tor for people back home It If the number of con congressmen con con- congressmen gressmen Is cut it would bo be necessary necessary necessary con I sary to offices In Washington to do the tho routine work The Tho Important change chance is to restore to the people through congress the guidance of o the tho government It If I were reshaping things here re Id I'd first wipe out every bureau that tha I could possibly be abolished Some I Ilire ore lire quite useless or undesirable and simply won 1 J be cut off oft Others could be given to the existing department ot or some ome cabInet cabinet cab- cab Inet officer Still others should b be made Into gathering fact agencies Ito to serve congress The tariff commission com com- commission com commission mission for example should be an assistant to the house ways was way and means menns committee To Increase lucrease popular confidence In the government I f I believe In Inputting putting tho the government back Into llio the hands hand of the people I want to II see flee ee this Inquiry started to gather light ht on the tho question from those II elder statesmen who be 11 Us- i toned to as experts expert I l |