Evening star., 1924-11-17
bORAH |DEA.MEANS
CONGRESS CHANGE
"Iame Duck" Meetings Held
UnpopuIar-SpeciaI Ses-
sions May Be Avoided.

In Senator Borah's advocacy of a
special session of Congress, e to be
held soon after March next, lies the
progressive idea of a constitutional |
change in the present antiquated sys-
TEN of congressional sessions.
Unable to do away with the lame
duck session which begins Monday,
December ], Senator Borah would
have the new Congress meet as soon
as possible, in order that it. may
carry into early effect whatever man.
date the people gave it at the last
election.
Without a special session the Rep
resentatives and Senators elected the
fourth of this month will be unble to
function until one year from the COM
ing December.
where in the plan to have the Con-
Eress elected in November each two
years take office the LIST of the fol-
lowing Janaury. The plan also calls
for the presidential Inauguration
every four years on the 1st of jan
AIRY following the election.
There is held to be no valid reason
a present for a wait until March 4.
That date was all right in the olden
days. when election returns We're
gathered slowly and when the prAsi-
Dental electors had to travel to
Washington by stage coach or horse
back.
Has Many Advantages.
The advantages of the proposed
new constitutional system are held
to be manifold; there are few, If any,
defenders of the present arrange
ment. The change in the date of the
presidential inauguration, however,
is secondary to the proposed new
congressional plan. The inaugural
date automatically would move for
ward If the congressional meetings
We're changed.
Under the present system of elect
ing d new Congress In November and
then having a full meeting of the
old Congress in the following De-
"ember. defeated hold overs" or lame
ducks are permitted to legislate after
the people have repudiated them at
the polls BY the same token Pres
fdcnt. defeated for reelection in No
Nemher is permitted on the first Mon
dag in December to give to Congress
his ideas as to what Is best for the
Nation for the year after he has been
thrown out of office.
Furthermore. under the present
system, a Representative elected for
two sessions of Congress is permitted
TO serve only in one before he must
take his cause once more before the
voters Under the proposed new sys-
tenn he would serve in two Con-
crosses and would have made his
ability or his inability perfectly plain.
one great value of the new system
Is that 1t would make extra sessions
OF Congress unnecessary except in
some extreme emergency. AS 1t is.
extra sessions during the past 16
years have been numerous They
were called by Presidents Taft. Will
son and Harding.
Short Session Defects.
Under the present system the So
called short session of Congress, like
the one which convenes December 1
and must adjourn by March 4, is
virtually useless so far as general
legislation is concerned. 1t has
about all it can do to pass the sup
ply bills. The constitutional limita-
ton upon the session permits of fill
busters and the talking to death of
many meaSures-some at least of
which might be for the public good.
Under the new system, with ses-
sions beginning each January I, there
would virtually be no limit upon Con-
gress. Some business men might
consider this q. bad thing. They be-
lieve generally that long recesses of
congress are better than long ses-
sions. Secretary Mellon is opposed
at this time to President Coolidge
calling an extra session next March.
He thinks tax matters should be al
lowed forest for the time being, and
as taxes are foremost in Mr., Cool
1dse's mind. he may be guided by his
Secretary of the Treasury rather than
by the commanding influence Of
Borah on Capitol Hill.
copyright 1924