The Washington times., 1924-07-10

IN '24VO1E
POSSIBLE
Washington May Have An
other Chance to See Con-
gress Pick a President

Washingtonians next December
may be able to sit in the galleries
of the House Of Representatives.
and Senate and enjoy the unique
spectacle of witnessing the cleo
ton Of a President and Vice Presi-
dent of the United States by the
members of the two houses.
If History Repeats.
Should history repeat itself this
selection Of a Chief Executive may
be bitter and prolonged Vas the
Democratic National Convention,
just concluded, for it is recorded
that in 1900 the members of
the House of Representatives after
numerous ballots were in a dead.
lock, giving jefferson and, Burr. a
like number Of votes, and It was,
only when James A. Bayard cast a
blank vote that Jefferson was fin
ally victorious.
The election of a President by
the Hotfse of Representatives and
Of a Vice President by the Senate
has only,. occurred twice. in the
history OF the American Republic.
The first time was when Jefferson
won out over Burr and the second,
in 1924, when Adams triumphed
over Jackson despite the fact that
jackson received the largest mum.
her of electoral votes although less
than a majority.
The fact that Congress on two
occasions in the short history of
the American Republic has been
called upon to elect a President of
the United States lends intense
interest to the possibility of "a re.
currence Of this unique procedure,
particularly to residents of the Ma.
tional Capital.
If House Can't Agree.
What makes the situation more
complex is that should the House of
Representatives fail to give one of
the three candidates they are en-
powered to vote for n majority
while the Senate has no difficulty
in selecting a vice president, the
vice president selected by the Sen
ate would become the President of
the United States on March 4 ncxt.
James M Beck, Solicitor General
Of the United States, in reviewing
the interesting Constitutional tangle
which might arise should the Elec.,
toral College fail to give a Presi
Dental candidate a majority and
Congress be called upon to make
the selection, calls attention to the
following procedure invoked in the
selection of a President and Vice
President by the House of Repre-.
sentatives and the Senate:
l. The members of the House of
Representatives who are empowered
to vote for the President can only
cast ballots for the three highest
candidates in the Electoral College.
East State Has One Vote.
2. Each State has only one vote.
In short, New York will have no
more weight in the election than
Delaware.
8. If a State delegation is divided
that State has no voice in the Sc
lection.
4. If no candidate is accorded
majority, the Presidency may be as
sumed by the Vice President selected
in the Senate under the same fashion
Of voting. 1t is made plain, however,
that the Senate can take no action
until after the House has acted
Sees No Deadlock.
Mr.. Beck impresses, however, that
even should the House of Repre-.
sentatives be called upon to select
President that it should have no
trouble.
IF Mr.. Coolidge" says Mr.. Beck,
"or his leading adversary has a clear
majority of the popular vote, then
it ought to be regarded as q moral
sentatives to respect the will of the
obligation of the House of Repre-.
people by casting the votes of the
House of Representatives for the
choice Of the people,"
Solicitor General Beck, when asked
whether in his Judgment such a
crisis will arise next autumn, said:
I'm my Judgment, the possibility
is very remote"