The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-05-16

Wa.te Of Congressional Time.

Washington, D. c. May 14.-The
old evil Of permitting defeated
members Of congress to continue
to sit and enact the nations laws
Cor four months after their success
sors have been elected 10 again
causing . great deal Of discussion
in congress. Ordinarily. this ais
cussion is revived every two years.
during the pre- election campatkn.
The fact that it is now under dls-
cussion ct the beginning OF . new
administration 10 taken AZ An indi-
cation that there II better chance
than ever before Of changing the
existing law. and remedyinS the
difficulty.
Another thing which 10 condemn
ed almost unanimously by public
men, but which has never been
changed, is that . newly elected
president does not take ONCE until
four months. sometimes to . day.
from the date Of his election. But
this occurs only once in four years,
and often only once in eight years.
Therefore, despite the greater Inn
portance Of the presidential posi-
lion, the situation as it affects con-
gress is generally regarded by
members Of that body as in more
vital need Of remedy BY legisla-
ton
There is q widespread belief that
an amendment to the constitution
would be needed to change the con-
vention date Of congress. This II
not 80, and is proved by the sim
pie words of the constitution itself.
The second paragraph Of section 4.
article l, provides:
1.-THE congress shall assemble at
least once In every year, and such
meeting shall be on the FIRST Mon
day in December, unless they shall
by law appoint q different day"
They" refers to the members Of
congress. 1t is generally conceded
that the meeting date Of congress
can, by authority Of this section of
the constitution, be changed to any
time the majority Of its members
may select. if the president ap-
| proves OF the change.
One Of the greatest objections to
the present system is that under
ordinary conditions a member OF
the house or senate elected in No
vember Of one year does not take
his seat in congress until Decem-
Der Of the following year. In the
case of members Of the house. this
leaves them but II months before
they must be up for reelection. II
has worked out in hundreds OF
cases that newly elected members
Of the house. coming to Washing
ton for the first time under such
conditions, have to give nearly all
Of their time to the business OF
politics in order to keep their coy
eted positions. Their strictly con.
gressional duties naturally suffer
rom this neglect. and the whole
country is the loser.
Defeated Congressman Hold Seats
Another objection often brought
forward is that members of the
honse and senate continue to serve
for four months after their defeat
at the polls. When this is combin.
ed with an overturn Of the party
holding the executive power. it has
always resulted in the government
being practically dead until after
The Inauguration of the new presi.
dent and the convention of the new
congress. A case in point has just
occurred. While there was, O,
course, Republican majority il
both branches Of congress. this ma
jority was materially increased OF
both sides of the capitol as a result
Of the elections last November
Also, the Democratic aspirant fol
the presidency was overwhelming
ly defeated.
| With this expression of the viii
of the American people registered
the waning Wilson administration
was forced to sit and twiddle it.
thumbs until March 4. Not unit
then could the cogs Of the govern
mental machinery start again. 4
parallel situation developed whel
Woodrow Wilson was first elected
The then president, William How
ard Taft, feeling an obligation no
70 embarrass the man who woul(
succeed him, was forced to sit Will
idle hands, despite the fact that tn,
Mexican situation was then al
acute matter Of foreign policy.