Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1919-06-13
WASHINGTON AFFAIRS
Especial to The Bulletin.)

Washington, D. c., June 1.-THE
Joint resolution introduced by Com
g~essman Walsh of Massachusetts rel
alive to the vice president having au
thority ~ act whenever the president
is out OF the country is attracting
much notice and is likely to meet. with
favor. The Walsh resolution reads
that any absence of the president
from the limits Of the United States
for a period exceeding "a hours is
hereby declared to be inability to dis
charge the power and duties of said
office and such inability shall termi-
nato upon the actual return of the
president to the seat Of government.
That during the period of such in
ability the vice president shall act as
president with fun power and author
ity to discharge the duties of said Of
fee
Congressman Walsh stated emphat-
ieally to The Bulletin correspondent
that the resolution was in no sense
criticism or intended to embarrass the
president, but was offered because he
believed the business of the United
States was suffering from lack of an
executive to sign bills and transact
other business ordinarily brought be-
| fore the president. MIR. Walsh ex-
| pressed himself as convinced the pres
| tiona1 rights In attending the peace
conference as head of the American
delegation, and that he fully appre
i ciated the importance of the position;
but in referring to the prolonged alb
sence of the president which has al
| ready extended into seven months, Mr.
! Walsh said: The United States ought
| not to- be made to suffer by such alb
| senee, and il the vice president has
| full authority to act in place OF the
absent president. routine dork done by
| congress will not be held up, as is now
| the case. believe congress is the
| proper body to determine what const1-
| tutes inability to perform the duties OF
/ president We now have before con
gress a great number of bills calling
| for a total of billions of dollars needed
! to carry on the government and meet
expenses already contracted. These
| bills cannot become law until they re-
ceive the signature of the executive or
until days shall have elapsed after
| they have been presented to him for
! signature and he has not signed them.
! Merely leaving such bills at the White
| House does not put them in his hands,
| and they cannot reach him under ex-
| listing conditions except by special
/ courier sent on a transatlantic trip
| of 5, 900 miles. He may then sign them
and that fact be cabled to this country,
but the enacted law must make an
| other ocean trip of 5000 miles before
the original paper is back here. All
this takes three or more weeks.
Take, for instance, the appropriation
! bills which we are now passing. We
know they must be signed before June
soth, when all appropriations for the
present fiscal year eXnire. We do not
know when the president will return
to the United States. If the bills are
held for his return. he may not be able
to sign them in time; if they are
! started across the water in the hands
of a courier and the president should
decide to make a quick return, then he
could not sign them in time. Mean
while the whole country suffers In
/ fact all executive business of this
great country is held IN by the alb
sence of the president in Europe while
the vice president who is his legiti-
i mate successor in case Of disability
i. sits in the senate every day and could
sign the bills and keep the current
business UP to date\if the question Of
what constitutes inability is determin-
ed so as to include absence from the
country"
While there is but small chance thai
the Walsh resolution will pass in time
to do much good before June 3oth, i
will a least be q strong safeguard If
the future. should its adoption by con
gress follow Presidents of the United
States would think twice before fol
i, lowing the precedent set by Mr.. Viii
son. unless it was a genuine energenc!
2 which called them overseas. Tn.
! Walsh resolution would require the
: signature Of the president to become {
law unless it withstood the ten da,
; without signature test. Of course i
could receive a veto like any othe
congressional measure. in which cas-
it would take a two-thirds vote o
8 congress to pass it over presidentia
> veto At present the bill is in tn
, hands of the judiciary committee, o
which Mr. Walsh is a member. but al
= early report is expected.