Evening star., 1925-05-10

pTdcuce become, even among Senators
who, prior to their failure to secure
reelection, had demonstrated inde-
pendence and character, of ending
their remaining months of service
merely as presidential Senators in
stead of Senators from sovereign
States. that the Senate itself has over
whelmingly favored and passed a reso-
luton to amend the Constitution so
that there may be no "hold-over" ses-
sions of the Congress after the bien.
NAL elections
House Fails to Act.
The House has failed to act on this
resolution. I believe this is largely
due to the unwillingness Of the House
to aid in giving prestige to the Sena-
tor (Norris) who is author of this reso.
luton. This illustrates a form of pet
ty partisanship that Is still character
istic Of the Congress.
AS is well known, the majority par
tv has all the important chairman
ships; the majority party is held re-
sponsible for the legislative program
and naturally desires to have charge
OF the bills, especially those which
seem to have some chance Of passing.
This goes SO far sometimes that, II q
minority member has worked out and
introduced such a bill, a majority
member introduces the same bill and
gets his name attached to it-for it is
not considered good politics to have
popular bills passed which bear the
names of minority members.
AS majority party of the House
is always jealous of its control of leg
islation in that body, it naturally
would not be Overzealous in making
q 1acriCl, tiNyr
form that would add prestige to an in.
dependent and irregular Republican
like Norris. Thus the resolution to
correct a great evil remains as il it
had never been passed by the Senate
The reform must begin all over again
in the next Congress.
What Does Senator Owe:
What does a Senator owe to the
Chief Executive Of his own political
party? Sympathy and cooperation
whenever possible. No Senator owes
the abandonment Of the political
philosophy which he has publicly
espoused before election or the sur.
render Of his conscientious convictions
| Of what is best for his country in or
| der to be loyal to his political chief
in the White House. No man is
| worthy of a seat in a high place who
| permits resentment or avarice or fear
| or flattery to move him.
| Servility to any political interest
social, financial or executives jus,
as odious to real statesman of proper
vision as is blind and fanatical per
sonal opposition.
Yet the cowardly, speech padlocked
and vote.controlled Senator's are otter
by the public and certainly by politi
cal organizations cajoled, given party
preferments and invariably "taker
care Of" by the Executive after they
are repudiated by the people and fai
| Of reelection. I am proud to say thai
the percentage Of this class of Sena
tors is small. Considering the. number
of temptations and the susceptible,
Of human nature to gain social dis
tinction in Washington for ones fam
lily, it is surprising there are not NOR,
'lame ducks" who surrender thei,
consciences at the Presidents com
mand.
Aims of Propaganda.
I should summarize the ultimat,
ends Of the propaganda against tn,
Senate as follows:
1. To amend the Constitution so a,
to provide for ratification Of treatie,
by a majority, instead of a two.third
vote of the Senate. This would con
centrate tremendous power over tn,
fate of the Nation in executive hands
It would be unsafe for the Republic.
e. To amend the rules Of the Senat,
enabling the majority to cut OF de
bate, end minority obstruction an,
speedily pass legislation. In my oRin
ion, adoption of Mr.. Dawes propose
! would result in more laws, just tn
result that the rule reformers abhor
It will bring the Senate down to tn
level OF the House and permit abso
lutte presidential and partisan control
II 5. To keep the Senate, when 1t per
forms executive functions, benin,
!. closed doors. SO that the pressure 9