The House Week

Work Done. Last week, the U. S. Representatives:

Convened after a fortnight's recess; swore in two new members; authorized the swearing in of a new member ill in a hospital.

Debated a bill appropriating moneys to run the U. S. Departments of State, Justice, Commerce, Labor.

Debated and amended a resolution authorizing the President to appoint a commission of experts to investigate the S-4 disaster and submarine safety devices; passed and sent it to Senate.

On Submarines. The House debates of the proposed S-4 Investigating Commission scarcely transcended a private wrangel among four New York members, the Messrs. La Guardia, Griffin, O'Connor and Black. Bulky, blue jowled Major La Guardia, irregular Republican, had stolen a march on his Democratic col leagues by riding from New London, Conn., to Boston in the Submarine S-8. He had returned full of submarine lore, a loud champion of the Navy. "Was it because they treated him so nicely?" sneered Mr. Griffin, who rather fancies his own knowledge of submarines. "Are not the members of this caste [i. e. the Navy] now due for a spanking from our people?" asked Mr. O'Connor. Secretary Wilbur is a "Duddy-Fuddy" and should resign, roared Mr. Black. Other Democrats insisted that the S-4 investigation hearings should be public; that three of the five investigating experts to be appointed by the President should be civilians, to prevent a Navy "white washing." Republicans agreed. The Commission was so authorized by the House.

In Nicaragua. "A stupid and inept Administration has gotten us into a difficult situation and now we are having to fight our way out of it. ... There is war in Nicaragua. It is not the war of the American people. ... If the President can send our Marines to wage war in Nicaragua the President can send an army and the navy to Great Britain and bombard London tomorrow. . . . etc., etc., etc." The House heard much oratory of this kind from excitable members. But nothing happened. Leaders of both parties were content to let the Administration work out its own salvation in policing Nicaragua. (See page 16.)

"Honest Residence." The House Elections Committee took up the case of Representative James Montgomery Beck, charged by Democrats with having established his residence in Philadelphia solely in order to be elected to the House and thus be able to defend Senator-suspect Vare of Pennsylvania, whose lawyer Mr. Beck was (TIME, Dec. 19). The Beck abode in Philadelphia, leased only a few months before his election, is an apartment in a low grade quarter of the city where Senator-suspect Vare has absolute political control. Testifying last week, Mr. Beck said: "It's an honest residence. . . . For one who tries at every opportunity to interest the people in the Constitution, God forbid that I should insist on any departure from it!" The Committee continued pondering the honesty of Mr. Beck's residence.