San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-25
The Once Over
CHANGING THE INAUGURAL
... DATE.
BY II. 1. PHILLIPS

Congress is talking OF changing III
date of the inaugural from March 4 4
the third Monday in January.
March is too close to April ! an
February II. A President being ID
augurated March 4 can't help feelin|
he is coming in at a time when til
people are still looking at their com
Valentines and just beginning to thin
of their April Fool jokes.
No President wants to be confuse|
with one or the other. Not until bel
been in office a few weeks, anyhow.
There is said to be widespread b{
lief that a new President should sta d
the first of the year, instead of han
ing around four or five months wall
ing for his predecessor to pack up AM
find new apartment.
And then, on the other hand, ther|
are those who think that the longd|
you prevent some Presidents from tail
ing office the better for everybody co1|
cerned.
The presidential election is held Il
November. Why the retiring Pres
dent should require four months nd
tice to move, when from 80 to 80 dan
are considered sufficient under It'd
rent laws, is puzzling those favorin|
the change.
Congress has to wait even longer n
take off its hat and coat and 20 d
work. While the election takes plaoI
in November, the new Congress ddesrI
start bungling until thirteen month
later. The reason for this long della
has never been satisfactorily given
The general opinion is that this laps
OF over year is allowed in order u
give the retiring congressman time q
wind up affairs with their bootleggerI
and give the bootlegsers time to opel
negotiations with the new solons.
The giving of thirteen months tim|
for taking office shows how long TIL
country has always thought it took
congressman to get anywhere in paf|
ticular.
1t takes thirteen months for som|
congressman to get it through thei
heads that they've been elected, AMI
II 90. why, wherefore, and what nexd
Allowing him thirteen months II
set the point, fifteen months must b
allowed him to understand what it'll
all about, another twelve months Il
argue about il, and the rest of his tern
to getting speeches in the Congression|
al Record.
1t can be readily seen that practi|
cally no time is allowed for punch
ing opposition congressman in the nos
on the floor Of the House and the SEM
ate. Which probably explains why
this is so often talked about, but neve
accomplished.
The new plan is to swear in thu
new Congress the first Monday in JAM
uary and the President the third MonI
Gay. Some congressman go so far Al
to favor holding the election month
earlier and opening Congress in Del
cember. Christmas eve has been sugI
gested for this ceremony. Possibly
on the theory that when America goj
up Christmas morning and saw it had
been given a new set Of congressman j
would be so happy it wouldn't want
any other Christmas presents,
A canTass of Congress shows many
opinions. Many oppose tho
change on the ground the new datd
would make them work during tho
summer months. A congressman is
very much opposed to spending hid
time in Washington during July and
August. If something can be dan;
like holding the sessions at the bath
ing beaches during The torrid term OBJ |
jections may be Withdrawn.
OF course nothing can be done about
changing the dates without changing
the constitution. But nobody minds
changing the constitution any more
The constitution, as the saying is
follows the Fad.
The reason for setting Inaugural
day rs March 4, it is said. was thad
methods of travel were slow in tho
early days and time had TO be given
a President to reach Washington. He|
travelled often by horse or stage coach !
This often took four months. But
now we have railroads. They are rum
ming on such schedules today that they
can make the trip in three and al
half.
Coupled with the demand for al
change of dates is a demand for the|
of the Electoral College.
There will be no loud opposition from|
the masses. The average voter thinks
Electoral College is a New England
He has never been able to under
stand why it has never played Har-
yard or Yale.
Copyright, 1928, by The Associated
Newspapers)