Reform for Others Only

Due for a month-long election recess, Congress last week rushed to clear the decks--and in a few instances, did so by heaving worthwhile measures overboard. As expected, it approved a monumental reform in the financing of Presidential campaigns, providing up to $20 million in public funds for major candidates.

The zest for reform did not last very long. By a vote of 203 to 165, the House rejected a far-reaching committee-realignment bill proposed by Missouri Democrat Richard Boiling (TIME, Oct.

14). His program would have broken up the overloaded Ways and Means Committee, split the Education and Labor Committee in two and created a new committee on energy and environment.

Boiling vowed to try again for real reform next year. Meanwhile, the House approved a comparatively toothless reorganization bill that leaves the committee structure pretty much intact.

Among other things, the bill calls for Ways and Means to set up four subcommittees, only slightly diluting the authority of Chairman Wilbur Mills--whose political situation is shaky for other reasons (see story page 21).

Harsh Rebuke. Ignoring pressure from President Ford, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee failed to confirm Peter Flanigan, onetime troubleshooter for ex-President Nixon, as Ambassador to Spain. The inaction probably kills the nomination. Flanigan had been involved in selecting Nixon's ambassadors, including Ruth Farkas, who became envoy to Luxembourg after donating $300,000 to Nixon's campaign.

Flanigan had also played a role in ITT's favorable 1971 antitrust settlement by getting a former White House intern to produce an analysis that supported the corporation's position.

In an even harsher rebuke to Ford's leadership, the House voted to cut off further military aid to Turkey. There were mixed reasons for the move: the use of U.S. arms in Turkish attacks on Cyprus; irritation with the Turks over the resumption of poppy planting; pressure from a vocal number of Greek-Americans; and congressional unwillingness to blindly follow Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's recommendations. The Senate had taken the same action, then, under heavy White House arm-twisting, agreed to delay the ban for 60 days. Ford had termed any curtailment "a misguided and extremely harmful measure," since it would hinder U.S. efforts to resolve the Cyprus dispute. The House vote to apply the cutoff was 187 to 171. Ford indicated that he would promptly veto the measure. Congressional leaders then postponed the recess until this week, when an attempt will be made to override the veto.

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