New Clown

Last year Theodore L. Moritz was trained in the school of political circus master: he was secretary to Mayor McNair of Pittsburgh. Last autumn he got his diploma in clowning: Pittsburgh elected him to Congress. Last week connoisseurs, who expected much of his political antics, discovered to their surprise that the first bill introduced by Mr. Moritz contained the seeds of great good sense.

Its terms were simple: to appropriate $435,000,000 for the building of homes to rent for $20 a month, the appropriation to be spent by the 435 Representatives, each of whom would have $1,000,000 to spend under his personal direction and supervision in his home district.

So far as likelihood of passage was concerned his bill deserved no more attention than hundreds of other foredoomed measures introduced by new Congressmen. But the measure made such good sense that Washington gossip, at least, could not ignore its points: It would apportion low-cost housing on an equitable basis, since each Congressman has about the same number of constituents. Every citizen would be able to see and appraise the results of such a spending program, and what is more, could place his finger on the person responsible for such results. Furthermore, in every district Santa Claus would be present not in a vague mythological outline, but as a knowable, accountable person.

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