Ogden Standard-Examiner | 1920-07-26 | Page 3 | May Increase House Members

m mm : HflUSEMBHBERSi Changes in Population Likely to Bring About Reorganization Reorgani-zation of Congress WASHIN'GTt N . July 26 Unless the membership of the bouse Is Increased from 435 to at least 500 to meet the increased population shown b the 1020 censu, ten slates will lose one or mor.' represMitatlYea, according to Representative Sieged of New York, chalrmnn of the census committee which will frame the new apportion nlent bill Those states are. ndlana, Town, r.nd Missouri, which will lose two congressman each; and Illinois. Kentucky. Maine Maryland. Nebraska, Vermont and Virginia, which will lose one congressman each. Mr ?icrl explains that if the house membership ic retained at Its present figure. Ii will be necessary to increase the population brels In each consies Bional district beyond the 211.000 or major portion thereof now fixed If this is done, he says, the 10 states named will lose one or more ol the in d.strict because their popula lions have not increased in proportion to those of other states. NEED MORE SEATS. On the basis of the estimated population popu-lation of 10.oiMi oiM.i for the whole country In 1920, an Increase of ap proxlmatelj 14,000,000 in 10 years. Mr e-1 :-as 65 ot 66 new scats in tho bouse must be created if the 10 states are to rebun their present numerical representation. While precedent war rants the Increase. Mr. Siegel declares there is stronc opposition to It on the part of som. of ihe present represen-ti represen-ti lives, while others favor reduction to as few as ;iOii members. Mr Sirgel expects the work of framing fram-ing the new apportionment bill In ac cord with the new population to be-gln be-gln with the reconvening of congress hi December and he anticipates tha'. th measure will be passed early In 1921. MEMBERSHIP GROWS. Every decade since 1790, witn tne single exception of 1840, the house membership has neen enlarged to keep p.-ice with the grew lng population Now the house floor is crowded when all members arc present; seats nearly fill the chamb r the old individual desks have been discarded and nn Increase in membership probably will have to I., nlved by narrowing the width of the seats. Ten years ago the house member-rhip member-rhip was Increased from 391 to 435 on the bisls of a population of 91,972,-! 91,972,-! 266 and the only exception to such a procedure occurred in 1S40 when 10 i ngressmen wcro knocked out b ihe apportionment, tna membership being fixed at 232 after having been 242 for j 10 years. The last appo tionment kept Intact the numerical strength of all state delegations besides providing for cer Itcln Increases, but even then several i congressional districts fell short of the j maximum basis ol 211,000 population. oo