Evening star., 1924-12-07
LAME DUCK" TERM
ABOLITION IS URGED
Senator Norris Expected to
Push His Bill for Earlier
Inauguration.

Friends and supporters of Senator
Norris of Nebraska expect that in
dependent Republican to press for
early action on his constitutional
amendment to abolish lame duck
Congresses. The Norris proposition
AIMS at 1naugurating in the succeed
Inv January a President and Vice
- esiaent elected in November, and
pfrnISting newly chosen members of
CCngtess to take office at almost the
sSme time
Thu primary object of the amend
IL mt s to do away with the archaic
sS-tens whereby, for example, United
St,tes Senators and Representatives
elected on November 4, 1924, do not
1ale Office (barring a special session
of Coogress) until December, 1925.
In the case Of the President and Vice
President, their induction into office
would De advanced only from March
4. following election in November, to
the third Monday in January. They
would l-e at the helm, if the amend
ment became law, roughly, about six
or neve weeks sooner than under
the exciting system.
Senate Is Favorable.
Senate sentiment is Overwhelmingly
irrespective of party lines. 1t was
passed in the upper house on March
il, 1924, by a vote of 63 to Z. In
addition to advancing the dates when
new Executives and members of Con-
&TeSs assume office, the amendment
seeks TO simplify the provisions for
election of President and Vice Presi-
dent by Congress, and for the success
sion to those offices in case of ex-
traordinary emergency.
The House committee on judiciary
proposed some considerable changes
In the Norris amendment as it came
from the Senate. 1t never reached
the floor for a vote. That action will
be necessary before the project can
be advanced another parliamentary
stage. Senator Norris is credited
with the intention of leaving no stone
unturned to that end. He believes
conditions resultant from the recent
national elections have piled up fresh
arguments in favor of the adoption of
the amendment at the earliest pos
sible moment.
Coolidge administration sentiment
on the Norris scheme is not unani-
nous. The writer has encountered
two directly contradictory currents
OF opinion, both of them flowing
through channels very close to the
White House. BY, some of his ad-
Nisers the President is urged to get
hehInd' the Norris proposition with
the full force of the Coolidge influ-
enCe on Capitol Hill.
These counselors assert that Mr.
Coolidge himself, at this very time, is
the victim of the lame duck" con-
Eressional system. They point out
that If the Republican majorities-
real not paper, majorities-that the
country created last month in both
houses of Congress could be function
ing early in January Coolidge policies
could be initiated at once and carried
out with little delay AS it now is
they must wait, in the normal course
OF events, full year
Even now, IS months after the
Coolidge Congress is in session"
said one ardent supporter of the Nor
rIS scheme, though himself a rock
ribbed conservative action would
still be held up. A new Congress
never finds itself for three or four
months. BY the time it has, it has to
begin thinking of it's home fences,
primaries and prospects for re-elec-
tion. The country's business takes
back seat"
new Republican Senator, who has
great power behind the Coolidge
throne, does not share his conserva-
tive confrere's enthusiasm for the
Norris amendment. He acknowl-
edges the inconsistency of a repu-
pudiated group of Senator'S and Rep
resentattves remaining clothed with
power to legislate for three or four
months after they've become lame
ducks" But he thinks the old sys-
tenn has, on the whole. stood the test
of time pretty we'll He does not
believe 1t has had sufficiently disas-
trous results to warrant it's abolition.
AT the bottom of the existing pro-
visions" this stalwart spokesman
explained to the write, was the
feeling that it would never do the
republic harm to enjoy a cooling off
period few months in which to re-
gain its composure. after sweeping
verdict at the polls"
Norris progressive Republicans will
be able to rely on pretty solid Demo-
cratic support, according to Senator
Pat Harrison of Mississippi Harri-
son declares the country has not for
gotten the attempt of the lame
duck Congress of 1928 to ram
the ship subsidy down the peoples
throats." The Mississippi matedor
thinks there is an ever-present dan
ger of any lame duck" Congress
trying TO "foist" undesirable legisla-
tion on the country, its own RESPONSE
bility being no longer a matter which
dated conscience"
Our British cousins have Just af-
forded the United States an example
OF parliamentary and governmental
hustle" which the Norris amend
lnent aims to emulate. There was a
general election in Great Britain on
october 20, following a short and
Shappy campaign of only three
weeks. Within 10 days of having
received the country's mandate, the
Baldwin Unionist government was
functioning at Downing street at a
pace that couldn't have been ex-
celIed by cabinet in office for as
many months or years. 1t put Soviet
Russia in its place and dragooned
Egypt within the same 72 hours.
Under prevailing conditions, no
American administration could ap-
proXimate such speed
Not all lame ducks think they ought
TO remain glued to their places on Capi-
tol Hill till the last dogs dead Senator
David |. Walsh, Democrat, of Massa-
chusetts, who succumbed in November
after having Speaker Gillett the
hardest kind of a race, favors the Nor
fls amendment whole-heartedly. In a
recent statement, Walsh said:
1T is far from an ideal representative
Government to postpone for at least 10
months reforms which the people have
voted for in their congressional cleo
tions: The present system is wasteful,
unbusinesslike. undemocratic and anti
quated. BY all means let each Con-
gress when elected by the people get
down to the doing of the public business
Immediately" F. w. w.
Copyright, 1924
She Was q Thrifty lass