Evening star., 1922-11-19
CONGRESS- and the Elections.

Senator La tOllette Oh "leco!ISA''
a.nouncing his program Of progress
sism, which includes q determined
pposition to certain pending legisla'
We proposals. assails the practice
shich keeps In Congress for three
aonths after a national election men
.yho have been defeated at the polls.
This raises an old question. often dis
cussed, and as often laid aside as In
volving great difficulties in correction.
rhe federal election schedule was es'
ablished at the outset on the basis OF
xisting conditions. Communications
we're difficult and slow. A complete
>oll Of the balloting could not possibly
,e had at the time Of the organization
II the government within one or pos
sibly two months. 1t was contem'
,lated that the retiring Congress
should finish its work while the per-
,onnel Of its successor was being de-
rermined.
As communications have been I'M
proved and made more speedy the sys-
tenn has developed differently from the
expectations OF the founders. The
newly elected Congress- is known to a
nan before the next regular session
begins. Ever since the telegraph was
established, therefore, there has been
the possibility Of a repudiated Con-
.ress continuing for three months or
more at work after the verdict OF the
people has been rendered and become
generally known.
To correct this condition 1t Will be
necessary to shift the whole political
calendar. The Constitution contem'
plates that the retiring Congress shall
be the judge Of the election OF the
President and Vice President. 1t
therefore must sit after the prestden-
tial election. This requirement is based
upon a logical principle that the new
Congress, chosen at the same time as
the President. may itself be subject to
the question Of. legality. Moreover
the vote-canvassing, or retiring Con-
eress must be In session before the
inauguration of the President IN order
TO certify to his election.
These questions have arisen hereto
fore In connection with the proposal
to change the date Of the Inaugural
ZION. Whenever the more clement date
Of the last Thursday in April-the
time historically appropriate owing to
it having been the date OF George
Washington's induction into oft1ce-is
proposed objection Is raised that this
would prolong the term OF the retiring
and possibly repudiated Congress, and
4 counter plan is usually advanced to
curtail that term and have the new
Congress to assemble and the Presi-
dent inaugurated early In January.
But this would require the old
Congress to assemble at some time
subsequent to the election and canvass
The vote, unless the system were
fundamentally changed and the newly
elected Congress were made the can
Lassing body. II the newly elected
Congress were charged with this duty
t would have to go into session before
the inauguration Of the President, suf-
ficiently in advance to provide against
4 hiatus in the presidential office.
Taken Altogether, the issue raised by
Senator La Toilette does not lend it.
self to easy solution, even II a change
in practice were desirable. There are
certain advantages In the retention OF
the old Congress in being after an
election just as there are undoubtedly,
at least in theory, advantages in i'm
nediately putting the popular will
into effect through a prompt as
semblage Of the national legislature.