Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-11-24
URGES congress
TO AMEND RULES
Too Meddlssoms, Says Former
Colorado Representative In
Speech Here Today
HEATING URGES REFORMS

Congress should cease meddling III
matters which have been deiniteiy en-.
trusted to other branches of the GOV.
rrnmcnt and should amend its rules 30
as to facilitate clean cut decisions On
legislative proposals, accorGlng 10 E
ward Kcating, former CongresshmMm
from Colorado. who addresse9 nemoeas
Of the National Muinc,i"nl ,r l., ,'thhsr TX rity
Club. ... .,u
II entertain very real respect ior
the ability of members of CONGRESS.
They are not 1Iiliputians struggling
with the tasks of n Gulliver. but men
who will compare very favOrnbly. from
any point Of view,. with the leaders
of the church. the bar and the bnsi-
ness world" said Mr.. keatinG.
"1'hcre was Il time when l imag-
incd that all the devils were in tn"
lsrpnbliran Party and all =" !ESr angels ySSrs
in Washington have convinced me that
tho devils and angels are pretty evenly
distributed and that whatever may br
the matter with Congress no one polit-
ical party is responsible.
Too Much Power
"Thc fathers of the Republic un.
doubtrdly intended that the legislative
should be the most important branch OF
government. 1t was given the exclusive
right to enact laws. 1t was made GUS.
todian of the pursc.strings of the Ma.
tion. While its own members were an.
swernblc to no one but the people. 1t
had tho right 10 impeach and remove
the executive and the judiciary, 1t alone
could declare war and peace could not
bc restored without its sanction.
Clothed with these immense powers
there was every reason why Congress
should satisfy the expectations of its
creators. but II has not.
"Therc is nothing in the Constitution
Of our country which clothes Federal
Judge with power to set aside statute
enacted by the Congress Of the United
States.
"Not only do our courts claim the
right to be the sole interpreters of the
Constitution but they arc now re-
writing the statutes enacted by Con.
cress. This clearly unconstitutional
procedure has produced some sr:tesque
results.
Calls Situation Intolerable
"T submit that the situation is in
tolcrable and that IL we are to have n
legislative branch Of government such
as the fathers designed. we must in
sist that our Federal Judges shall con-
fine themselves to the duties assigned
them by the Constitution of our coun-
try.
"The executive branch Of government
has followed the example of the judici-
ary and has established what the diplo
mats would probably call "a sphere Of
influence
"If we are to permit the executive
to write the laws us well as enforce
them, we should substitute bellboys
for Congressman and arm each of tn"
ads with rubber stamp.
$50 the first thing I would have
Congress do would be to reclaim its
jurisdiction. 'rli It should ceas"
meddling with ma = which have been
! definitely cnt 10 the other
| branches oi g., ...l..rn'.
Following that Congress should
amend its rules so ms to facilitate
clean -cut decisions on legislative pro-
posals.
.The Committee nf the Whole should
! bc abolished and whenever reason.
able number Of members of the House
, or Senate demand Il rollcall it should
4 he granted as matter of course.