Evening star., 1922-07-02
Marquis of Queensbury
y rules into politics, injecting
true sportsmanlike spirit into


the contests at the polls and
establishing by federal fiat the great
American principal Of fair play in the
great American prerogative and priv
ilege of popular elections is the
thought behind a proposal In Con-
gress for a new constitutional amend
ment.
Representative Frederick w. Dal-
lineer of Massachusetts,. chairman OF
the house elections committee. has In
troduced a resolution which proposes
to give Congress power to regulate
the nomination and election of sena-
tors and representatives in Congress
This legislation was prompted b!
two notable cases, the Newberry case
in Michigan, in which tho Supreme
Court in its decision virtually wiped
out the corrupt practices act. and the
Harrison case in Virginia. in which
the House committee has found that
the minority party vas. Vas not a',.s given
In one line the purpose of tho Dal-
ineer resolution Is ito require GER
tain fundamental principles OF fair
ness in the election laws of the
states" There is no intention of hav-
ing federal officials take complete
charge of the elections. It merely
pass election laws that will embody
the great American principle OF "faiI
play"
Representative Dallinser expects tc
press this resolution when the House
reassembles after its summer recess
to consider ship subsidy and the tarifi
bill when it comes back from the
Senate.
After the Newberry decision Chair
man Andrews Of the House commit
tee on election .of President. Vice
President and representatives in Con-
rress was concerned because the cor
runt practices act had been discred-
tied, Knowing that RepresentatiVe
Dallinger had made life study OF
government and elections and had
ward. and was recognized as an au-
thoritative author on the subject. he
sought counsel with him. The result
was that Mr.. Dallinger introduced a
resolution for a constitutional amend
ment that Congress shall have power
to regulate ali eApSHuilu4SS H0oo VI
incurred by any person or persons for
the purpose OF influencing directly OF
indirectly the nomination or election
of any candidate for the once OF SEN
ator or representative In the Con-
eress of the United States. and to
prohibit corrupt practices In connec-
ton with any such nomination or
election"
This was intended to meet directly
the issue raised in the Newberry case
and make it clear that Congress has
the right to regulate expenditures
But the resolution was referred to
the judiciary committee instead OF to
the Andrews elections committee. and
there It still reposes In spite OF efforts
to have It re-referred, Representative
Joseph Walsh Of Massachusetts in
terposing objections to the transfer
+ + X +
Then came the contested election
case of John Paul against Represent
ative Thomas w. Harrison. the sitting
member from the seventh Virginia
district According to the majority
report, it was shown that in the nam
ing Of registrars or election board OF
Judge Of elections the minority party
was not allowed to name q repre-.
sentativs to see that there was fair
balloting and q fair count. The ma
jority claims that the state consti-
tuition, which failed to prohibit such
an unfair and un-American practice
h,a raxor hnan submitted fo a Dnnu,