Conservation of Time

Representative Robert Luce of Waltham, Mass., brought forward a concrete plan for shortening the sessions of Congress by saving time in its proceedings. The advantages of this plan, in his own words, are that it "would take away all need for staying in Washington into or through the hot months, when life here is almost unbearable, would let members by that much escape the excessively high cost of living here; would give them that much more time to pass either among their constituents or in getting elsewhere that rest and recreation they now must so considerably forego, the lack of which may fairly be held responsible for the increase in the deathrate among members and the impairment of the working powers of those who survive."

His proposals are:

1) Eliminating the practice of reading the record, except when such reading is asked for by a member. Saving: four minutes a day; four days in a Congressional term:

2) Eliminating the practice of reading bills entire, a practice which originated in the House of Commons when many of its members could not read. There were 1,100,000 words in the bills enacted by the last Congress and the time spent in reading them took 20 working days. In addition other bills were read but not passed. Saving: about one month.

3) Limiting the maximum time allowed for any one speech to 30 minutes instead of 60 minutes as at present. Saving: indefinite.

4) Prohibiting, even by unanimous consent, the granting of any request to speak on any matter not related to the subject in hand. Saving: indefinite.

5) Providing that when the House is without a quorum it shall automatically go into a Committee of the Whole in which it may transact all business except actually passing bills. The advantage of this procedure would be that it would save roll calls, of which there are several hundred at each session to determine whether a quorum is present. Saving: 25 minutes per roll call; about six weeks.