New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-04-02
DISABILITY RULE
MAY Be ADOPTED
CONGRESS WOULD MAKE PRO.
VISION FOR VICE PRESIDENT
TO ASSUME DUTIES.
FOUR BILLS ON THE SUBJECT
OFFICERS and Men From Each State to
Be Sent to Camp Meade, Md, for
Six Weeks Intensive Training
Course.
BY N p.

Course.
BY JAMES p. HoRNADAY.
WashingtOn.-This congress seems
disposed to lay down a rule by which
1t may be determined when a presi-
dent Of the United States is so dis
abled as to make It necessary for the
vice president to assume the duties of
the Office temporarily. The house com
mittee on the judiciary is dealing with
the subject. During recent weeks it
has listened to the views of a good
many men whose opinions were sup
posed to be worth while, and eventu.
ally 1t will report out a bill on the
subject. The committee took as a
basis for the hearings 1t has been con-
Quoting four bills on the subject Of
fered by representative Simeon ID.
Fess (Rep., Ohio, chairman Of the
Republican congressional campaign
committee; Representative John ].
Rogers (Rep., Mass.), a member of the
foreign affairs committee; Representa-
tive Clifton N. Macarthur (Rep., Ore.),
and Representative Martin Il. Madden
(Rep., Il.), a member Of the Repub-
lean steering committee.
Representative Tess would have the
supreme court determine whether a
president Is suffering a disability such
as should require the vice president to
step In. The supreme court would be-
come the judge when called on to do
SO by a concurrent resolution Of cQp-
gress. Under Representative Fess'
program a constitutional amendment
naming the Supreme court as the tri.
bunal to deal with the subject In a
final way would be adopted.
Puts Up to- Supreme Court.
The plan proposed by Representa-
tive Rogers is that a resolution from
either or both senate and house should
make 1t incumbent on the Supreme
court to render a decision as 10 wheth-
er disability under the Constitution ex-
lists. Representative Rogers does not
believe a constitutional amendment
would be necessary. Representative
Macarthur proposes that absence from
the United States for 30 days, or H.
Tor a like period of time would
constitute disability to act. and he
would have the presidents cabinet de-
when the chief "A unable to
perform the duties of the office. Rep
resentative Madden, in his bill makes
inability to perform the functions Of
the Office for n period of six weeks
cause for action, and he, too, would
authorize the cabinet Il determine
whether the president is incapaci.
The question that has been raised
is as old as the Constitution, and this
means that 1t Is 40 years old. Many
times, not only congress, but the pub
lie as a whole, has engaged In a
as to how and when and
where presidential inability to per-
form the duties Of Office is to be de-
termined. The committee on the ju-
as well as the members Of the
tOuSC wiz IhNC lutt OhuNtu NV biiiS
on the subject say that the proposed
Is not directed at President
Wilson. In a technical sense this, of
is the fact. 1t is not at all
that the Legislation raj be or
will be completed before the end Of
the term of President Wilson, but 1t is
true, OF course, that the revival Of the
at this particular time Is due
10 the prolonged illness of President
Wilson.
The question as to whether Presi-
lent Wilson a for any considerable
period Of time unable to transact pub
ic business will probably never be an
to the satisfaction Of every
body. There are only two persons who
an speak with authority on this sub
|ect, one is Mrs. Wilson and the other
g the presidents personal physician, |
Admiral Grayson.
New Features for G~uardsmen.
The new National Guard which is
icing rapidly organized will take
m some features that were unknown
o the Guard before the world
var. 1t will be a modern military or
In every particular. Tank
inits will occupy a conspicuous place
n 1t. Four light tank battalions are
included in the plans for the reorgani-
on the basis Of one battalion to
nch corps Of four divisions; battalion
consist Of three companies Of rs
anks each and the strength Of each
,attalion to be 81 officers and 458 en-
listed men according to a decision Of
he secretary Of war under date Of
4, 1919.
The chief Of the militia bureau Ii d.
ected to apportion tank units so that
hey may be utilized to the best advan-
age In training with the infantry. and
that when united the companies
viii form complete battalions at the
ate of one battalion per corps of four
divisions. Under existing law. the
ppointment Of officers Of the national
uard of a state Is vested In the COVER
or thereof, and when n o in federal
ervice no oflcer a exercise com-
nand over individuals or units per-
to another state. Since II
rould be impracticable to assign an
ntire battalion to one state. there can
e no battalion organization at this