Evening star., 1923-02-13
Adopts Norris Amendment
Providing for Earlier Seat
ing of Legislators.
FACES A HARD FIGHT
TO PASS IN HOUSE
President and Vice President
Would Take Office Third
Monday in Year.

The Norris amendment to the
Federal constitution eliminating tho
present session Of an old Congress
after election Of a new Congress and
changing the date OF Inauguration
OF President from March 4, to the
third Monday in January was ap-
proved today by the Senate.
The resolution embodyine the
amendment was adopted after brief
debate and by vote of SO to 6. II
now goes to the House. with approval
there before adjournment Of Congress
regarded as problematical.
Victory for Progressive Bloc.
The senators voting against the
resolution were: Broussard. demo-
crat' Louisiana; King. democrat, Utah:
France. republican. Maryland; Nelson.
republican, Minnesota: Overman, demo-
crat, North Carolina, and Reed. demo-
crat, Missouri
such an amendment was proposed
py the new progressive bloc imme-
dlately after IL was organized and
probably Is the first proposed change
IN the constitution to be approved BY
the senate after coming out Of any
committee other than the Judiciary
committee. 1t was reported from the
agriculture committee, of which SEN
ator Norris is chairman, as a substi-
tute for Senate resolution intro
duced soon after the beginning of
the present session by Senator Cara
way, democrat, Arkansas, providing
that members of Congress defeated
in an election. should not vote on
other than routine business during
the session of the old Congress fol-
lowing the elections.
The Caraway resolution had been
referred to the agriculture commit
tee at the request of the author, who
said that II II went to the judiciary
committee it would ''go into the sleep
that knows no waking"
Ehminates Indirect Methss.f
. The agriculture con1mittee has
among it's membership a number of
members of the farm and progressive
blocs. and It Incorporated ia It's draSt
OF the amendment a provision chang
ing the present indirect method of
selecting Presidents and Vice Prea :
dents. This section, however, was
eliminated today before the final vote
on motion of Senator Norris Opposi-
ton to the section had been ex-
p
publicans,. and President Harding
some weeks ago let IT be known thar
that he did not look with favor
upon IT,
The resolution as adopted is Is fol-
lows:
Resolved. by the Senate and House
of Representatives Of the United
States Of America in Congress as
sembled two-thirds of each house
sconcurring thereln): That the follow
ing amendment to the Constitution he
and hereby is. proposed to the states.
to become valid as a part of the Con-
stitutton. when ratified by the leeis-
latures OF the several states, as pro-
vfded by the Constitutions:
Commence in January.
That the terms of President and
Vice President of the United States
elected after adoption Of this amend
ment shall commence at noon on the
third Monday in January following
their election.
THAT the terms of senator's and
representatives elected after adoption
of this amendment shall commences nj
noon on the first Monday in January
following their election.
That the Congress shall assemble
at least once in every year and such
meeting shall be on the first Monday
appoint a different day"
Similar amendments have heen
pending at one time or another IN
Congress for years and hearings were
being held on one presented by Seua-
tor Ashurst, democrat, Arizona, when
the agriculture committee reported
the one approved today.