The Washington times., 1922-12-05
RACE To LIMIT
LAME DUCk"
POWER
"oId Guard" and Progressives
Rush Bill to Seat New Con-
crosses Earlier. .
BY WILLIAM X. HUTCHINSON.
International News Service.

| A legislative race was under way
today between two Senate commit
tees for the honor of sponsoring a
Constitutional amendment for the
Inauguration of Presidents and the
lconvening Of new Congresses in the
month OF January following their re-
spective elections. 8. =.
The amenoment would be aimed
primarily at depriving repudiated
Congresses Of the right to enact leg
islation following the election. II
also would seat new Congresses
eleven months earlier and bring new
administrations into power three
months sooner than under exisung
statutes. t.,.
The twin movements to sponsor.
the amendment were conducted by
the Judiciary Committee. where. the
"Old Guard" rules supreme. and by
the Agriculture Committee, where
the "Progressives'' are in control.
A subcommittee of the judiciary
BODY opened hearings today on a
resolution. introduced by Senator
Ashurst Of Arizona. which had lain
dormant for the last eighteen
months T.. a pigeonhole. -
Bar Association Champions.
A delegation from the American
Bar Association appeared to in
dorse 1t. ID
At t-s same time the Agriculture
Committee met to approve a resolu-,
ton written by it, chairman, Senators
Norris of Nebraska, one of the lead.
ers of the progressive movement.
Norris drafted the resolution at the
request of his, committee following
its consideration Of the bill. intro
duced by Senator Caraway of Arkan-
sas, which sought to deprive Sen.
ators defeated in November from
voting on pending legislation. The
Norris proposal, incidentally, was in
dorsed at the meeting Of progressives
held here last week, over which
Norris presided.
1t was apparent today the Judiciary
Committees action In ordering hear
ings on Ashurst's resolution was an
other movement Of the "Old Guard
to forestall legislation championed by
the progressives. 1t followed closely
the announcement of "Old Guard"
leaders that they would support farm
credit legislation over which pro-
gressives had waged a'fight.
Curtis Approves Plan.
The Judiciary subcommittee. COM
prising Senators Cummins Of Iowa.
Brandegee of Connecticut and Walsh
of Montana, are reported as favoriny
the proposal, and quick action on
| Ashurst's resolution is expected. The
"Old Guard" through one of it's
spokesmen, Senator Curtis Of Kansas,
has announced it's approval of the
plan, and indications are there will
| be little opposition to 1t on the floor
| of the Senate.
The progressives particularly are
| anxious to have one Of the two reso-
lutions passed by Congress this ses-
sion. They hope to have the amend
ment referred to State legislatures
this spring in the desire to have 1t
formally ratified by two-thirds Of the
States before next falls election.
This would make the amendment ef-
fective next fall and would convene
Congress the following January for
a trial Of the new arrangement prior
to the Presidential election Of 1924.
It would really become effective,
however, in January, 1928, when a
new President would take office
along with the newly elected Con-
gress.
Both the Norris and Ashurst reso-
lutions fix the first Monday of Janu-
ary instead Of the first Monday Of
December for the eFiconvening Of new
Congresses. and the third Monday
of January instead of March 4 for
the Inauguration Of new Presidents.
The plan would permit, Congress to
assemble and be ready for business
by the time the new President came
into office two weeks later.