Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-17
COMMISSION Plan
ISSUE IN URUGUAY
Proposed That Nine Men Take
Place of President in
Running Republic.
MANY OTHER REFORMS
NOW BEING DISCUSSED
Big Business Enterprises Already
Have Been Placed in Hands
of Government.

Political and social reforms in
Uruguay have been recently discussed
at length by the press of that coun-
try. Material dealing with the scope
and proposed changes in the govern
mental and economic fields in Uruguay
have been placed at the writer's disposal.
from which, in combination with state
ment from one thoroughly conversant
with the situation. the following outline
of conditions has been constructed:
The general trend of reforms in
Uruguay. while not to be classed as
socialistic, may be definitely called
social" Those hitherto passed in
clude the placing of control in a num-
Der of broad business enterprises
such as banking. insurance and electric
and gas lighting-in the hands of the
government.
For Greater Reforms.
This is a feature which. it is pointed
out, would receive the hearty appro-
baton of any socialistic party. And
on top of it comes the proposal for a
far-reaching constitutional reform by
Senior Battle Ordonez, a former presi-
dent of the republic. who contem-
plates and urges the complete sep
aration of church and state, the initia-
tive and referendum, the direct cleo
ton and doubling of the number of
senators and the establishment of a
collegiate or commission form of gov
eminent, somewhat after the Swiss pat
tern.
1t is believed. as the time for the ma
tional convention at which the republic
shall accept or refuse these reforms
approaches. that the aforementioned
change is the most important. The
country, II is said, is quite ready for
the other changes, and even this most
radical step has it's stanch supporters.
IT may be assumed that inasmuch as
the entire reform proper must be &C
cepted as a whole. and may not be
subdivided. its ultimate fate depends
largely upon the commission change.
This collegiate or commission form of
government proposes the substitution
of a commission composed of nine mem
bers for the unipersonal president. 1t
is the claim of those behind this re-
form that the placing of the executive
power in the hands of a board. one to
be named every year. would eliminate
the uneasy conditions which are associ-
ated with the abrupt changes of gov
eminent connected with presidential
elections, and that furthermore no one
man should have as great power as is
now vested in the president.
Elected by the People.
According to former President Battles
proposition the "novemvirate" shall be
elected directly by the people. The at
tributes of the present president are
to be shared by this council which
will be presided over by a president
elected by the members from among
their own number, this being renew
able indefinitely. as is also the member
ship of the council. The cabinet of
ministers remains, but they will be re-
duced to the role of purely executive
officers or chiefs of offices.
Such are the main features of the
most important change contemplated in
the constitutional reforms upon which
the people of Uruguay are to act in the
near future. Opponents to the pro-
posed change attack it on the following
grounds:
1t is claimed that the republic would
be converted into close and perpetual
oligarchy. and that public opinion
would be rendered impotent to effect
any change in either the personality or
policy of the government.
Accused OF Inconsistency.
Senior Battle is openly charged with
Inconsistency by the opponents of the
plan. 1t is claimed that, while enunci-
ating the maxim that ito reform is to
live" he proposes to lock the door of
all future reform by making impossible
any departure from the present govern
mental policy and the ideas he has in
itiated.
So il is that certain students of pub
lie opinion in Uruguay believe that the
people are favorable to the minor
changes and that the requisite two
thirds majority would be readily polled
for several of them If submitted alone,
but that the connecting with them of
the radical step of doing away with the
present form of government will bring
about the defeat of the whole pro-
posal. Friends of Senior Battle vigor-
ously maintain that his plan is the only
feasible one for the government of
Uruguay; that the public recognizes
this fact and that the measure will be
passed triumphantly. The other repub-
lies of the American continent await
the outcome at the polls of Uruguay
with keen interest.