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Show Our Government -How It Operates By William Brackart SPIRIT OF THE HOUSE A NT ONE who observes the course followed by a public official can hardly fail to arrive at the conclusion, con-clusion, eventually, that there is one characteristic common .to all of them, namely, a desire, an insatiable in-satiable determination, to be vindicated vindi-cated for what they have done. That really is the important factor in the career of any politician, and he or she charts a course accordingly. There Is no higher exemplification exemplifica-tion of this spirit to be found anywhere any-where than among the representatives representa-tives who constitute the house. There may be a few individuals, indeed, in-deed, there must be some, who fail to keep a weather eye on the trend of the sentiment in their districts, but the number is negligible when compared with the total house membership mem-bership of 435. Frequently, one hears loud pronouncements of independence in-dependence on the floor of the house, vociferous declarations that the folks "back home" have been misled by propaganda or by preachments preach-ments from the opposition for ulterior ul-terior purposes. But tliat very independence in-dependence Is the finest sort of an appeal for vindication because It is a simple attempt to justify . the course followed, or to be followed. But there really ought to be no quarrel with that procedure. Look behind it. Certainly, after all, the majority of voters in a congressional congres-sional district sent that individual to congress. He Is responsible to them. They know it, as well as he. When he goes wrong on the "burning "burn-ing issue," they retire him. Thus, they attain a responsiveness to their will. The representative's vain desire de-sire for vindication of his acts results re-sults in exactly the thing for which the house was created, a proper reflection re-flection of sectional and local viewpoints, view-points, a melting pot from which emerges that thing which Is called "the will of the people." AH of the above is by way of saying say-ing that the house is a highly sensitive sen-sitive body, politically. Receipt of mail from the home district over a period of a week, mall that deals with some particular question, has been known to change enough votes in the house to overthrow an apparent appar-ent strong majority. Take, for example, ex-ample, the upset through which the house passed when it was considering consider-ing the revenue act of 1932 the tax bill. Under most circumstances, party leadership controls firmly, although al-though rather easily. But party leaders meant nothing to the house after scores of Its members began hearing from "back home" in opposition oppo-sition to the sales tax that had been recommended for passage by its ways and means committee. Representatives Repre-sentatives of all shades of opinion were panicky. 'Why? Because they wanted to have the voters vindicate vin-dicate them at the polls in the next election and they were not sure they could convince the electorate of the propriety of their course had they supported a direct tax on things we buy. A representative's term is only two years. Once he Is elected, he necessarily must start solidifying the position thus gained. He knows that opposition will be out there In the field all the time, making hay while he stays in Washington. It may be in his own political party or In another party. But it usually is there, just waiting for an opportunity. opportu-nity. Thus, the successful candidate must look to his laurels from the start, and he usually does so by fostering fos-tering legislation of particular benefit ben-efit to his district. He has to choose a side, however, on questions ques-tions of Importance to the whole nation, and on these his ordinary course and easiest is tonlign himself him-self with his political party. Yet oftentimes that course proves fatal. So the life of representatives during dur-ing his two-year term is Just one attempt after another to guess what the majority In his district desires. The desire for power seems to go hand in hand with the desire for vindication. It always hns boon ' said that, in politics, as In war, the I spoils go to the victor, and the spoils accompanying control of the house are worth considering from the standpoint of well-built political t fences out in the home district. The, majority party in the house, as In the senate, gains the chairmanships of all committees. It means control of legislation; it means appointment of dozens of Job seekers, and It moans a voice In management of the party throughout the nation,: With that control goes the speaker-; ship of the house, an honor of greatest great-est consequence to some member of the majority party. It is ail a part of a great game called polities. i When all tilings are considered,' however; when all factors and influences in-fluences and causes and efoots are weighed, the scales appear to balance bal-ance to the side of benefit to the people. This spirit that ferns to grip every man or woman sent to the house cannot tie eliminate! In our two party svste;n f,f govern- , r..o!:t, hut why should it he de-1 siroye-l when ti.e sum total of Its cTit !s to make representation possible pos-sible for a poojie. ton numerous to get together in a town hail mf-'. z C l&-"2. 'f-'.hrr. Nf er Union. . |