Regulation of Nuisances

"I have never seen any effect a lobbyist ever had in Washington, but they are a nuisance to members of Congress"--Chairman John J. O'Connor of the House Rules Committee.

Last week the House passed a bill requiring the registration of lobbyists. The Senate passed a similar bill last year. Differences between the two will be ironed out in conference. In full prospect, therefore, was a new law for the regulation of nuisances.

The Senate bill would apply not only to all lobbyists at the Capitol but to those who appear similarly before all branches of the Government. The House bill, less broad though in some respects stricter, requires the registration of all organizations seeking to influence legislation or the election of Federal officeholders (except actual political committees)*; the registration of every person employed as a lobbyist together with reports every three months of his employers' names, all his salaries and fees, all his expenses of $10 or more, the names of all newspapers and periodicals "in which he had caused to be published any articles or editorials." Penalty for disobedience: $1,000 fine, a year in jail, or both.

The House adopted one important change when it made registration compulsory only for those employed "principally" as lobbyists. This, it was argued, would save the lobbyists of Labor, Veterans and Farmers from public embarrassment since their "legislative representatives" could claim other duties as the "principal" part of their jobs.

*Most lobbyists attempt to gain their legislative ends by political threat: "Unless you vote as we say, we will defeat you in the next election."

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