Evening star., 1923-08-26
By WILL +. KENNEDY.


dent Harding as martyr to
public service has called
n popular attention again to the
burdens of that office and leaders in
Congress are studying measures to
afford necessary relief. Senators
Cummins of Iowa. Harris of Georgia
and others already have issued state
ments on this subject. The Institute
for Government Research, which has
been making a scientific study of the
problems of public administration,
also has advocated progressive i'm
provcment.
Now comes Senator Simeon d. Fess
of Ohio, recognized as an authority
on government, who says that the
most natural proposal is to change
the tenure of office to six or seven
years and forbid immediate re-
election, change which would
require an amendment to the consti-
tuition. Doubtless early action will
be taken by Congress and the states
will readily ratify the proposal when
once made" Senator Fess says.
An additional proposal is to dele
gate much of the detail work to
ftnerSt Wnlcn coulo De uone ny ieSiS-
lation.
The first report in the constitu-
tional convention on the tenure of the
President was seven years and in
eligibility for reelection, Senator
Fess recalls. After discussion this
was changed to four years with
eligibility for reelection. The pre-
vailing argument that led to the
change was that the shorter term was
protection against an avaricious. am
bilious and dangerous executive. The
discussion ranged from election for
one year to life. Much was heard
about the despotism of George III and
the dangerous power of the king.
Hamilton showed the proposed Execu-
tive had not a semblance of the power
of the British king. and was less than
the governor of New York or New
Jersey.
Argument Against Recollection.
Against ineligibility to reelection
the argument set forth the following
reasons: I'D A diminution of induce
ment to good behavior in office; f2)
it would remove the temptation to
SOTQlu views 10 peCuldtlOH anu W
usurpation: CD the deprivation of the
public of the valuable experience ac-
quired in office; co the banishm ent
from power of a leader at the time
of an emergency that might unex-
pcctedly arise when his leadership
would be imperative. and 90 1t would
operate as a constitutional interdic-
ton of stability on administration.
At the time this line of reasoning
was decisive and the tenure was re-
duced to four years with the privilege
Of recollection SO often as the electors
chose. In the 1856 years of national
growth since that decision many
changes have occurred. The relative
powers of the Executive show the
American President possessed of
greater power than any ruler in any
other constitutional government, Sem
ator Fess emphasizes. This power
has constantly increased until he is
the most powerful officeholder of
the world, while that of the British
king has constantly decreased until
he is merely fgurehead. Every
year Congress adds by legislation to
the Presidents duties in the enact
ment of laws authorizing the Presi-
dent, thus and so.
Since the war numerous commits
sons, many permanent in character,
have been created. Each looks for
appointments and organization to the
President. to whom it reports. While
much of the detail is handled by
heads of departments, bureau chiefs.
etc. 1t all comes back to the Presi-
dent for final decision.
Postofice Department Cited.
As a good example, Senator Fess
cites the Post Office Department. Here
is a government agency doing over a
half billion dollars of business each
year, employing more than $4,000
persons. touching the public at every
lpoint. The President has been un-
able to detach himself from final di-
Pection of this great service. AS an
example of added burdens by legis-
1atlon-witnesS the Presidents re-
spon sibility for the federal budget
The very genius Of this legislation
was to make the spending depart
ment, which is the executive, respon-
sibIe for expenditures. to be audited
to- the executive, but to Congress-
(which alone can remove him by i'm
peachment. The operation of this Law
Is most wearing upon the President
Since it went into operation Presi-
dent Harding felt 1t necessary to call
into conference more than once the
various bureau chiefs to instruct ii
not to issue orders Executive orders
have been issued directing many items
of detail. Only recently one was is.
sued which required the return o!
unexpended balances back into the
Treasury, instead of, as heretofore
permitting these heads to issue or.
ders that no balance was to be unex.
pended.
It has been suggested that this bur.
den should be shifted from the Presi,
dent to cabinet heads This canno,
be done safely, Senator Fess ant
other students of political econom,
protest, because each cabinet head /.
too apt to fall in with the unneces
sary demands of departments. espe
cially such as the Army and Navy
AS q pertinent example we now have
the Navy Department demanding
$3.50, 0,060,0 900 for next year, which thu
budget director announces must bt
reduced to at least $50, 100000.
Objections arc 'O6ered.
recent suggestion is to have thi.
function given over to the vice presi
dent. To this substantial objection,
are offered, not the least Of which i.
that under our system at the present