The Washington times., 1913-10-14
AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION.

The need of a new method of amending the FED
eral Constitution, which will permit that venerable
document to be more easily brought in harmony with
modern conditions and so end the dead-hand control
of the eighteenth century, mas at last received the
recognition it deserves.
There is under way the organization OF ma
tional popular government league which will force,
as an active political issue, change in the amend
ing clause of the Constitution to permit majority
of Congress- instead of two-thirds, to submit pro-
posed amendment directly to the voters of the United
States for their adoption or rejection This new
method-known as The Gateway Amendment
held by such men as DR.. Charles Mccarthy famous
director of the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Ii
brary, as the greatest issue before the American
people if genuine sef-government is to be achieved
The movement to organize the league was an
nounced at the Cosmos Club in Washington, last
Friday night by the officers of the committee of fifty
which has the work in charge. 1t is a significant
sign of the political times when of such diverse
political and other interests Senators Owen, Nor
ris Poindexter, Clapp, and Hollis; Herbert Quick,
the farm paper editor of Springfield Ohio; Frederic
c. Howe, of New York, the municipal expert Jack
son H. Raston the lawyer and others can sit around
council table and plan, in concord and aity, SER
vice to popular government in utter disregard of old
time partisan prejudice.
Other measures for which the league will fight
this is to be a militant concern-are Presidential
primary" effective initiative, referendum, and recall
laws for States and cities commission government
and short ballot
The work is to be conducted on sensible and
carefully laid lines which will commend themselves
to thinking men. A bureau of information, conducted
under the direction of the executive secretary, Jud
King, at the league headquarters, in the Munsey
Building, this city, will collect accurate data as to
the actual workings of popular government meas
ures in States and cities where they are now in
operation. From these data-which are, by the way,
at the service of the public upon request-a COM
mittee on. legislative FORMS composed Of the great
est practical experts in the nation, will draft model
measures for the of legislators and charter COM
missioners. These standardized forms will 60 far
toward preventing the repetition of mistakes which
have been made in drafting initiative, referendum,
recall commission government and other legislation
in the experimental stages of these new processes,
A convention of popular government men will
be held in Washington early next December at
which the formal organization of the league will
take place Combining, as it does, the influence of
men with political power and experts in the science
of government, who have the confidence of the peo-
PIE, this movement promises to exert far-reachng
influence Already its significance is acknowledged
by the yowls going up, from the stand-pat editors
whose duty it to commend every thing old as sacred
and everything new as socialistic, dangerous, and
inimical to prosperity"