Evening star., 1922-12-03
PLAN TO BRING CONGRESS
CLOSER TO PUBLIC WILL
Prosressives Push Effort to Have Sen.
ators and Representatives Begin
Terms in January.
BY &. GOULD LINCOLN.

CRITICISM frequently leveled
~ at the government of the
~ United states is that it is not
Immediately responsive to the
will of the people. following the de-
,isinns of the people at the ballot
"uNeS.
The President continues to hold
,,ilic,. and to direct the affairs of gov
.-rnment for four months-a third of
:, year-after his successor has been
elected
The Congress continues to legiS-
ate for Il similar period after the
people have elected its successor. AL
;hough the chief executive Of the
land may have been defeated. and
his party along with him, in Novem-
her. and also his party may have lost
u the same election control of Con-
eress he and his party. through con-
,r"l of Congress. continue to domi-
late the situation and enact the laws.
ON the face of it. this would appear
rot only Il mistake. but an injustice
20 the voters.
PrOeressives Want Change.
4 new fight is under way TO remedy
his situation. There have been spo-
radio efforts to bring about Il change
in the past. but without success. The
'.progressives," in Congress and out.
who feel that the recent elections
were a mandate from the people for
more progressive policies. are in a
fighting mood to bring about the
proposed change. Senator la Toilette
az Wisconsin is strongly in favor of
IN amendment to the Constitution to
have the newly elected Congress come
into bsing and get to work as soon
aS possible after its election. He
puts it very succinctly:
Who" he asks. would propose
thai Il great business organization
should continue to be operated by
discharged employees
Senator Curtis of Kansas. republic
can whip of the Senate. has declared
himself in favor of some change in
the present system. so that the new
Congress shall get into action more
quickly.
Senator Ashurst Of Arizona. demo-
crat, is the author of a resolution.
now pending before the judiciary
committee. which proposes Il conSti
futional amendment :" that the terms
If the President and Vice President
..f the I'nit,,' States shall commence
"n the third Monday in January fol-
lowing the election Of the presiden-
tial and vice presidential electors
His resolution provides also that the
terms of senator's and representa-
tives shall commence on the first
Monday in January following their
election.
Hearing on Resolution.
This resolution has been referred
to a subcommittee of the judiciary
committee, consisting of Senator
Cummins of Iowa. chairman. and
senators Brandegee of Connecticut
and Walsh of Montana. 1t was in
troduced April Ic. 1921. year and
half ago, and nothing has been done
with il up To the present But next
Tuesday the subcommittee IS to con-
duet hearing on the resolution. at
which a committee of the American
Bar Association, headed by William
Lowell Putnam of Boston, is to pre-
sent arguments in support of the pro-
posal to change the date of the in
coming of Congress and the inaugu-
ration of the President.
Senator La Toilette has told the
committee that IL his engagements
will permit, he. too, will appear and
urge the adoption of constitutional
amendment.
Recent Senate Proposal.
The opposition to having men who
have been defeated at the polls con
tinue to take a part in framing the
legislative policies of the govern
ment recently broke out in another
way in the Senate. Senator Caraway
offered a resolution proposing that