Words, Words, Words

" Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy."--The United States Constitution, Art. 1, Section 5.

The above provision of the Constitution cost the people more than $300,000 during the 75 legislative days of the last session of Congress. Not only is there nowadays very little secrecy about the actions and speeches taking place on the floors of the two Houses, but large " extensions" of speeches, never delivered, are printed "by permission" in the Congressional Record.

The circulation of the Record is about 40,000. Each Senator is permitted to distribute 88 copies free; each Representative, 66. There are also about 1,500 copies distributed free, and the remaining 1,000 copies are paid for. Six thousand pages of printed matter, at approximately $50 a page, bring the cost of the Record for the short session to more than $300,000.

The remarks of Senator Heflin alone--almost half of them undelivered--cost nearly $2,500.

Senator Moses, Chairman of the Committee on Printing, purposes to remedy this evil. He sent letters last week to members of the next Congress notifying them that hereafter the Public Printer will print only the actual debates of Congress in eight-point type, as heretofore, and that all " extensions," etc., will appear in six-point (smaller) type. A very considerable saving will be brought about by the change.