Evening star., 1924-01-06

be restored, says hepre-
sentative Roy G. Fitzgerald of Ohio
in justification for a bill and Joint
resolution which be introduced in the
House last Thursday proposing an
amendment to the Constitution.
His bill would carry out the pro-
visions Of article of the Constitu-
tion regarding the distribution Of
seats in the national House of Repre-
sentatives among the several states
In equal proportion to the whole
number Of citizens. His resolution
proposes to amend the Constitution
by inserting this paragraph:
"At the conclusion Of each decen-
NAL enumeration the President of the
United States shall Immediately note
the result and notify the several
states of the number of representa-
tfves to which each Is entitled in the
next succeeding Congress. based upon
the total number to be elected as pro-
vided by law, which apportionment
shall control while the total number
OF representatives to be elected re-
mains unchanged.''
representative government has ceased
to exist, Representative Fitzgerald
points out that in the 1920 election a
presidential year, which invariably
brings out the largest vote. in the
third district of Louisiana 4,201 votes
were cast, while In the tenth district
of Missouri 1929 votes were cast.
There are twelve districts in the
United States, Representative Fitz-
gerald calls attention. where the to-
tai number of votes cast in the whole
twelve districts was 154,171- These
districts are: Third Louisiana, first
and second South Carolina, third and
eighth Mississippi, fifth Alabama,
fourth Virginia, seventh Texas, Sec
ond Florida, fifth Tennessee, second
Arkansas and second North Carolina.
In contrast to this there are twelve
other districts where the total vote
cast IN the same election was 1,640, 0S9.
These districts are: Third, seventh
and twenty-second Ohio, fifth and
tenth Missouri, seventh Indiana,
sixth Pennsylvania, sixth and tenth
Illinois. tenth California and first and
thirteenth Michigan.
Representative John Philip Hill of
Maryland also called attention to this
unequal distribution of seats in pro-
portion to the whole number of vot-
ers in an open letter to Representa-
tive William D. Upshaw of Georgia,
in which he stated that each citizen
of Georgia Is represented in Congress
by six representatives in proportion
to one congressman for a similar cit
izen of Maryland. In your election
only one out of every forty-four cit
izens voted, while in my election one
out of every five voted"
Prevailing Situation.
The situation that exists Is this: The
decennial census completed about
five years ago showed a population
in continental United States of 1885,
708,1s1. The Constitution provides
for the taking of this census every
ten years and that Representatives
and direct taxes shall be apportioned
among the several states which may
be included within this Union according
cording to their respective numbers"
The House in the Sixty-sixth Con-
gress passed reapportionment bill
based On the present number of
seats in the House -435 members
but this was pigeonholed in the SEN
ate. The House census committee in
the Sixty-seventh Congress reported
Ia bill which placed the total number
Tn NJ In
to take care of a number of states
whose increased population entitled
them to additional seats in Congress.
The census committee adopted ratio
of 22S,ss2 for each representative,
which would give the average con-
gressional district 1905 more in
habitants than the average district
under the last apportionment act.
Under that bill there would have
been an increase of twenty-five mem
bers in the House-four from Cali
fornia, three each from Michigan and
Ohio, two each from New Jersey, New
York, Pennsylvania and Texas, and
one each from Arkansas, Connecticut,
Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New
Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma
and Washington. Even then there
would be two states which would
lose q representa- ative-Maine and Mis-
souri, That bill was killed on the
floor of the House by being referred
back to the committee on the ground
that the increase was unwarranted
| on account of the expense to the
government and the loss in efficiency
which would result from an un-
| wieldy legislative body. The mi
| nority report, signed by six mem
bers of the committee, showed that
the proposed increase would mean
a total annual increase in expenses OF
| approximately 100000.
LOSSES and Gains for States.
with the total number remaining
the same as now-435-eleven states
must lose one or more representative:
and eight states would gain one oil
more seats. Representative Fitz.
gerald points out that there are
therefore, twenty-five senators from
these eleven states who will be a.
least luke-warm on the reapportion,
ment, because they represent state.
whose representation in Congress,
would be reduced, which representa-
tion, he claims, now votes on tine
property and rights of citizens Of
other states and is now imposing
Legislation on those who have nc
choice in their election.
It Is more than four years nov
since the decennial census was taken
and il the same reluctance to make
q reappor rtionment continues through
the next six years, there will be more
than eleven states which will be