Evening star., 1923-03-25
OVERHAULINC PROPOSED
FOR THE CONSTITUTION
Purpose Is to Improve Its Technique
and Bring the Organic Law
Down to Date.

ratification by the legislatures of
three-fourths of the states.
These legislatures have in no case
been elected with reference to what
action they shall take on such pro-
posed amendments. They, therefore,
receive no mandate from the people
of their state in respect thereto.
Many. accordingly, believe that the
ratification should be by the people
themselves-by popular vote-rather
than by either legislature or con-
vention.
OF course. that method is more in
consonance with the ideals of popu-
lar. government.
The amendment already proposed
provides that for amending the Con-
stitution, joint resolution to be
passed by two-thirds vote Of each
house. and that Congress shall pre-
scribe one OF three methods of rati-
fication-either by three -fourths vote
of the state legislatures or three
fourths> vote of conventions. as now,
or by the third process-direct popu-
lar vote
The question involved is rule Of
minorittes. Here is the situation:
A member of a state legislature be-
lieves he cannot afford to offend any
group demanding mis- vote, even
| though they be in the minority
such as the women, prohibitionists.
the soldier vote, etc. So he delivers
his vote when this minority interest
banded together demands it. This
situation lends itself to the minority
really getting its way, which is one
of the greatest evils and one OF the
most dangerous conditions in mod
ern politics.
Tax-Exempt Securities.
4 fourth proposed amendment is
that in regard to taX-exempt bonds.
This is a good example of how con-
templated amendments have to do
with the technique rather than any
fundamental change in our institu-
tions.
The proposal is that state and mu-
nicipal bonds should be subject to
tax by the national government, and
alton by the states. subject to the
limitation that there be no discrim-
ination. That is, that states should
treat the national bonds the same as
they do state bonds and vice versa
the federal government should treat
state and municipal bonds the same
as national bonds.
4 fifth proposal is with respect to
child labor. That is of a different
character from the others mentioned
above, in that it does involve a change
Of the political system, because 1t
broadens the powers of the national
government as against state rights
The argument in favor of this amend
ment Is that 1t is purely a matter of
eXpediency. The state restricting
child labor is at disadvantage as
against states that do not. That all
may be placed on an equality, gen
eral legislation by the national gov
ernment is required.
The same argument could be made
with regard TO employment of
women, factory Legislation and many
other matters.
joint Action Is Urged.
There is a strong sentiment among
the advisers of the administration
and among the most earnest students
of government for all of these
changes. The leaders in Congress
are being advised that the best
method would be to have all of them
incorporate in one resolution for
perfecting the technique Of our con-
stitutional system, and to be acted
upon at one time. The states could
then act on each Individually. or
separate joint resolutions for each
proposal may be adopted. The admin
istration advisers insist that 1t would
be good thing to have the entire
subject discussed at one time SO that
the purposes of the general policy
may be well understood, and to guard
against time-wasttng duplication of
speeches for or against constitutional
amendments.