Evening star., 1924-06-04

rfAuCc 10 III Iuo latOcS OF tCRolu-
ton. 1t may be 2 constitutional over
turning OF the administration or 1t
may easily become a coup d'etat over
turning OF the republic. with a tri-
umph OF the elements of socialism.
communism or chaos. Or it might
become a coup d'etat of a dictator
ship counterbalancing the forces
seeking to substitute the proletariat
for constitutional government. Every
day brings a new situation, and the
tenseness Of the crisis is likely to
grow. rather than subside.
Premier Poincare (the war Presi-
dent OF France and the active head
OF reconstruction as premier. under
ms rival President Millerand), has
resigned under pressure of the par
llamentary refusal to approve his
policies. Ordinarily President Mile
rand would then select the leader of
the opposition to take the premier
snip and form a cabinet, but the feel
100 deep for SO easy a solution; IL is
dlrected against both Poincare and
Mlllerand. so that the Socialists of all
olocs and factions radical, unified
and republican-have voted to reject
any premier nominated by President
Millerand- They mean to force the
president of France also to resign
ana mus give over full control of the
country to socialism. France is gov
erned by its legislative assembly
tS not py three part government, rs is
the United States.
X x
The situation is not without direct
intarest in the United States, in view
of the agitation here to so amend our
Constitution as to give power to Con-
gress not only to override a pre.i-
'AAoiial veto OF bill by q two-thirds
'ots OF each branch. but also to over
ride a decision of the Supreme Court
Hpon the unconstitutionality of 4
'aw. A Congress which is it's own
unreStralne ed censor of its own acts
ls above the Constitution and may
At any time abolish the Constitution,
an9; overnight. upturn the republic :.
inat is the power resting today m
me French Senate and Deputies The
cnief executive is not elected by the
people, but by the Senate and House
OF Deputies, sitting together. each
member casting his individual vote.
although the Assembly-Senate and
Deputies-has no power TO dismiss a
president before the expiration of
MS term, they can refuse-as they
nave now agreed to do-to ratify
any cabinet he may appoint. and so
tie his hands that the government
Is paralyzed. The president cannot
proroguc the Assembly. as can the
King OF England prorogue Parlia-
ment. unless he has the consent OF
the Senate Tho Assembly seems TO
hold the key of the situation.
The French president elected by
the Assembly selects a premier who
organizes a cabinet subject TO ap-
proval by the Assembly The cabi-
net Is not responsible to the presi-
dent The chief executive can sign
no measure without some member of
the cabinet countersigning il The
members Of the cabinet arc directly
responsible to the Assembly and
when a cabinet policy is refused in
dorsement in the Assembly the cAbi-
net must (by custom) resign, TO
make room for a new cabinet having
the approval OF the Assembly.
In the United States the President
Is elected by the people (only theo-
retically through an electoral col
lege), and Congress has nothing to
do with his election or dismissal. un-
less the people fail to elect, and un-
less the President violates the duties
OF once and becomes subject to i'm
pcachment The cabinet is not di-
rectly responsible to Congress, after
been ratified by the Senate. The
cabinet reports only to the Presi-
dent, who reports and Expresses ad-
n1inistration policies to Congress
II is claimed by our constitutional
lists that this system makes for sta
bility and continuity of policies, while
radicals argue that the heads of de-
partments should confer directly
with Congress and receive orders
from Congress over the head of the
President, or be subject to dismissal
by Congress whenever the legislator s
vote a lack of confidence" That is
how things are done in Europe, and
Americans now have an opportunity
to see their own country as it might
be If the reforms advocated were to
be put into effect-giving power to
Congress to override the Supreme
Court. to defy and overturn consti-
tutional restrictions and enact any
law which two-thirds or three
fourthS, or even a majority in Con-
grass-under some wave OF popular
excitement-migh desire
Sometimes through some sudden
popular craze, men of utter inexperi-
ence arc swept into Congress-, i'm