Evening star., 1923-02-04
SUBMIT II PROPOSALS
TO AMEND CONSTITUTION
Members of Congress Meet With Opposi-
ton in Efforts to Add to
Historic Document.

years after their submission to the
states. But 30 far no action has been
taken on this proposal.
But to get back to these proposed
amendments OF long standing. There
are two others, making four in all.
which today are pending before the
states. one submitted in 1910 and the
other in 1861. The two amendments
proposed by Congress in 1879 still
hanking fire, SO to speak, deal with
enumeration Of the people and rep
resentation in the House and with the
compensation of members of Con-
gress.
The amendment proposed by Con-
gress in 1910 provides that IL any
citizen Of the United States shall ac-
cept any title of nobility or honor,
Or without the consent of Congress
accept and retain any gift, compensa-
ton or office from any emperor, king
or foreign power, he shall cease to
be citizen of the United States. The
fourth Of these proposed amendments.
submitted by Congress March 2, 1861.
on the verge of the civil war, pro
cides in effect that no amendment
shall be made to the Constitution
which would give Congress the power
to abolish or interfere with any do
mestic institution in any of the
states. including slavery.
When the back salary grab" OF
Congress in 1873 created an uproar
the Ohio state senate, just eighty
four years after its submission by
Congress, undertook to ratify the sec
ond amendment, which provided that
no law varying the compensation of
senators and representatives should
take effect until after an election Of
representatives shall have intervened.
Submission Deemed Likely.
There are pending today in Con-
gress a few constitutional amend
ments which probably will be sub
mitted to the states in due course of
time. In fact, there is strong indi-
cation that a child-labor amendment
will be put through Congress, If not
at this session. then at the next. The
House the Other day put through a
joint resolution proposing that the
Constitution be amended so that in
come of securities issued by states
and municipalities could be taxed BY
the federal government and federal
securities could be taxed by the
states. This is in line with the rec
concentrations of the President and
Secretary Mellon to do away with the
rapidly increasing tax-free securities
issued by states and their subdivi-
sions. 1t is not likely to pass the
70 ~,
close of Congress.
Another proposed amendment Ia
the Constitution which finds consider
able favor would do away with the
electoral college and let the people
vote directly for President and Vice
President, though still keeping the
same number of electoral votes per
state. This same amendment would
bring about the meeting of a newly
elected Congress in January after its
election and the inauguration of a
newly elected President in the same
month.
Amendments Proposed.
The following is a list OF the sub
jects dealt with in the amendments
to the Constitution which have been
offered by senators and representa-
tives during the present Congress:
Method of amending Constitution.
apportionment OF representatives,
empowering the President to veto
items in appropriation bills without
vetoing the entire bill. single six-year
terms for President, requiring popu
lar vote before declaration of war.
giving Congress the right to fix terms
Of office of judges of the inferior
courts of the United States. author
izing taxation of income OF state,
municipal and federal securities; Civ
ing to the citizens of the District OF.
Columbia representation in Congress
and the right to vote for presidential
electors, election of President by di-
rect vote, use of money in elections.
child labor, time for convening OF
Congress and Inauguration of Presi-
dent and abolishment of electoral
college, authorizing Congress to tax
salaries of public officials, providing
for initiative and referendum on con-
stitutional amendments and laws,
prohibiting polygamy, filling vacan-
cies in the membership of the House,
elections to federal office, defining
treason, four-year term for members
of the House, to permit light wines
and beer, giving Congress power TO
regulate expenditures for elections,
to prohibit levy by Congress of in
come and other direct taxes, to Gre
ate a tariff court. to regulate pro-
duction and commerce of coal, oil and
gas; conscription of citizens, money
and industries for war.