Evening star., 1919-03-16
By C.. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY &. GOULD LINCOLN.
7 n the days of Andrew Johnson a
bitter controversy arose between
the President and the Congress
over reconstruction" The civil
war was over and readjustment leg
islation was needed. Congress deter
mined not to leave the field to the
President. and. knowing that it was to
expire on March 4. 1867, put through
a bill providing for the opening of the
session OF the new Congress on the
very day that the old went out of ex-
istence. Congress met March 4. 1867.
In these days of President Wilson,
when the breach between the execu-
tive and Legislative branches is al
most as acute as in the days of John
son. the demand that Congress be
continued in session for readjustment
legislation following the war was in
sistent at the close of the last ses-
sion. But no attempt was made to
provide for an early session of the
new Congress by legislation, since the
Presidents party was in- power up to
the close of>the Congress just ended.
Bill to Effect Change.
But Senator Curtis of KanSas. re-
publican whip. will introduce a bill
when the SiXty-sixth Congress meets
providing that newly elected Con-
gress in the nuture shall hold its first
session on March 4. instead of wait
ing until the first Monday in Decem-
Der. as it must under existing law
unless the President sees fit to call
it together prior to that date. Senator
Curtis proposes to bring about q per-
manent reform designed to meet any
4 last. when the President was de-
termined not to call Congress into
session. although thA republicans,
dominant party in the new Congress.
insisted that he should do so. and al
though reconstruction legislation of
the most vital moment was pending.
The Sixty sixth Congress. elected BY
the people more than four months ago
to legislate its will. has not assem-
bled- Unless called together by Presi-
dent Wilson sooner. it cannot, meet
until the first Monday in December,
thirteen months after its election.
The fact that six of the big annual
appropriation bills for the operation
of the government failed to be enact
ed into law by the Congress just
closed makes it certain that an extra
session of Congress will be called by
probabilities are that call will be for
some date not later than May 1,
though this is conditional upon what
happens at the peace conference in
Paris and the Presidents return to
America
Congress Session Unwelcome.
: But if. all of the appropriation bills
had been enacted into law the new
Congress might not have been assem-
bled until next December. In fact, it
was currently reported that the Presi-
dent did not desire an extra session
of Congress and that he had no inten-
ton of calling one. 1t is true taat a
special session Of the Senate would
have been called to consider the peace
treaty when it was made ready, but
it would have been powerless SO far as
any legislation is concerned.
Two ways have been suggested for
bringing about a. reform which Will
end such a condition One is an
amendment to the Constitution, pro-
viding that the term of each Congress
shall begin January I. and that the
term of the President also shall be.
gin on that date.
The other is more simple and does
not require an amendment to the Con-
stitution. It is to enact law provid-
ing that the first session of each Con-
gress shall begin March 4; the new
Congress shall Immediately convene
and take ever the business OF Iegrs-
Senator Curtis has determined upon
the second course and will introduce
a bill in the coming session of Con-
gress.
The present controversy between the
President and the Congress over the
calling of an extra session recans
other reconstruction days. The bitter
fight between President Andrew john
SON and Congress at the close Of the
civil war finally resulted in lmpeach-
ment proceedings against Johnson.
The Congress insisted that President
Johnson. was usurping the rights ana
powers of the legislative branch; that
he was following out course OF re-
construction in the south that was
disastrous and against the will of the
people whose elected representatives
they were. The Congress knew that
the President had no Intention OF call
ing an extra session, SO 1t adopted
the expedient of passing bill provid-
ing for a meeting of the new Congress
on March 4, 1867, and on March
thereafter, whenever new Congress
was coming into existence. Tne Dill
was passed by an overwhelming vote
IN senate and House. The President s
veto would have been onavaiiine' anu
tbe bin was approved January y,
1867.
Text of 1867 Law.
Here is the old law:
.erbat in addition to the present reg
,,1ar times of meeting OF Congress
~, thare shall he a meeting Of the For
tieth Congress of the United states
ND of each succeeding Congress
thsreafter at IL o'clock meridian on
the 4th day of March, the day on which
the term begins for which the Con-
gress is elected. except that where
.ha 4tb Of March occurs on Sunday,
then the meeting shall take place at
the same hour on the next succee eding
day. -ho uaa
member of the previous Congress
shall receive any compensation as
mileage for going or returning IRON ON
the additional sessions provided Tor
by the foregoing section
The Constitution. while 1t PROVIDES
that Congress must meet at least
once in each year and specifies the
date as the first Monday in Decem-
- aIso sDecifically gives Congress
&c mower TO fix another date by law
tue - aatinn Of Cnnpress If ii SO