The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-12-14

fight for the larger House, have
of late been approached on the
subject of a new bill they have in
dictated in no uncertain fashion
that they would vote until dooms-
day against any bill that would
make the membership of the ma
ton House of Representatives less
than, four hundred and sixty. II
this large group hangs together
and it is not. on record that they
have been generally accused Of
lacking backbone-it is clear
enough that any proposition call
ing for House of its present size
would be stubbornly and success
fully fought to the last ditch.
A membership OF 400 would take
state would continue to be repre-
scented by two Congressman. As
good care of Vermont and the
q matter of fact bill providing
for a membership of 450 would
protect the Green Mountain State
equally, but there would be ma
terial losses in other directions
which would tend to weaken the
solidarity OF the opposition to any
movement for House under AGO.
TIL refore it transpires that that
figure is the irreducible minimum
and any attempt to 20 below it
would without doubt wreck the
whole legislation.
With the factors in relation to
the necessity for the bill and its
form thus in evidence, came then
the question of when its enact
ment should be attempted. The
answer is found in the states
themselves. for whenever ana
wherever it is found necessary to
redistrict a state to make it CON
form to the new apportionment
the Legislature of that state has
to act thereon. Under the 400
quota this will be necessary in 16
states. Wherever there is no
change in the representation, there
is of course, no action necessary
on the part of the state Legisla-
ture.
1t is clear. therefore, that the
House should get its business out
of the way in respect to reappor-
tionment in ample time to enable
the sixteen states involved to act
accordingly. Should Congression-
al action be delayed beyond the
time possible for Legislative ac-
ton, any additional Representa-
tlves which a state might gain
would have to be elected at large.
rms is prospect not at all re-
llshed by the Republican leaders
for they realize that in some close
states the Democratic trend of the
city votes might we'll return a
Congressman of that political faith
to Washington, while if the state
We're properly redistricted that re-
suit might be averted.
A rather unusual situation is
said to arise in Missouri. which is
one of the two states Maine be-
ing the other) to lose one Con-
gresham under the AGO arrange
tment. Missouri now has fourteen
Republican and two Demo ratio
members in the House. Since the
state has to be redistricted anyway
under any plan of reapportion-
ment up to as high as 482, is the
hope to accomplish the task in
such d way as to send a Republi-
can from each district.
While the case with respect to
the House proper appears TO be
shaping I'm as presented above.
there is still another factor in the
problem that is not to be overlook
ed. and that is the pressure that is
being brought TO bear in, some
quarters for reapportionment leg
islatlon so as to give some of the
states increased delegations in the
Republican National convention.
With each state in the convention
allowed two delegates for each
member of the Senate and House
from that state. there would be
an addition of 81 delegates under
the proposed reapportionment
plan, all but ten of whom would
come from states which were en-
rolled in the Republican column at
the last Presidential election. Cali
fornia would get eight more dele
gates; Michigan and Ohio six
each; New York, New jersey, and
Pennsylvania, four apiece: and the
other states to gain would add two
each to their roster. On the Dem
ocratic side. Texas would gain
four; and Arkansas, Georgia, and
North Carolina two each.
These, then. are some of the
ramiffcations of the re-apportion-
ment issue, upon which home-go-
ing Congressman have in number
of instances obtained considerable
light. 1t can readily be seen that
they are phases calculated to
very materially the po-
sition of the steadfast proponents
of the four hundred and sixty pro-
position.
On this point Congressman Dale
declares that he is more optimistic
than ever. 81 am still of the OPP
inion." he said, that we shall ulti
mately-and before many months
bill in the House provid-
ing for membership of 400; in
fact, | am more optimistic than
ever over the nreSent situation"