Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-27
Strong Support for Earlier
Organization of Government

Enthusiastic approval is given by
the press generally TO the proposal TO
organize the National Government in
January instead of March and to do
away with the 'lame-duCk" session of
Congress. Certain questions are raised
however, In connection with Senator
Norris resolution for a constitutional
amendment. The Kansas City Journal
| tRepubliCan1 suggests that weather
conditions in Washington in January
| are certain to be more rigorous than
on March l." The Dayton Daily News
independent Democratic) thinks "the
arguments advanced against a short
session of Congress to pass appropria-
! ton bills arc not so well founded" as
other points made in behalf of the
| change.
| Most of the papers are emphatic in
| their objection to the existing practice
| of having a December session OF the
| old Congress following the November
elections. Whatever the outcome at
the polls next Fall" the Atlanta Jour
nal (Democratic) points out. "the pres
| ent membership Of Congress will re-
turn in December, clothed with full
! legislative authority, even though the
| people may have voted to turn them
out OF course, such a condition is alb
surd. and the wonder is that the Amer
lean people have tolerated 1t as long as
they have Lack OF sense in requIr-
| ing IL months to elapse before a new
Congress can organize and get down to
the work it is elected to do" is seen by
| the st. Paul Dispatch independent Re
| publiCan). which adds: THE lame
| duck session gave the members Of the
| retiring Congress a chance to clean up
| their desks and get out-and that was
about all it did. Abolishing II would
put the old Congress out Of it's agony
more quickly and make our legislative
system more Immediately responsive to
the will Of the people, which Is highly
desirable"
y = !.
Logic and common sense" favor
| the Norris amendment. according to
| the ST. Louis Post Dispatch Gnde.
| pendent). There is nothing against
| 1t except selfish politics and a senti.
mental inhibition against changing an
| old practice. OF these two factors,
selfish politics is by far the more
| potent" And the st. Louis paper as
! sails the practice by which defeated
/ congressman trade their votes for fat
| Government Jobs" The Charlotte OBJ
| server OemoCratic) suggests that
aside from escaping the usual dis
! advantages Of March weather, there
! is the more substantial reason Of a
| saving of expense to the taxpayers III
! the doing away with the short Ees.
| sions of Congress that follow cleo
| tons" and that propositions for the
! change Of date have met with cordial
| response by the people"
| The proposal is of definitely CON
| structive character in the opinion
of the Rock Island Argus 0ndepend-
ent, which cites among the benefits
the elimination of all confusion in
! the choice Of a. President and Vice
| President by Congress, in case of q
! failure to elect on the part OF the cleo
| toral college" The Duluth Herald
| independently adds that lit is absurd
to have four months intervene between
| the election and Inauguration of a
| President, and it is still more absurd
| to have the old Congress meet the
| month after election. when II may
have been utterly repudiated by the
! country, and is certain to contain
many members who have been re-
pudiated-"
There is much to be gained by an
early session of Congress-" says the
Charleston Evening Post Undepend.
ent Democratic). when the issues
upon which the election has turned
are fresh in the public mind There
| is hardly a difference Of opinion as
| to the desirability of this change. 4"
The Chicago Tribune independent
Republican, refers TO experiences
which emphasize the need of a
change, stating: The delay in in
| stalling the new administration has
had serious consequences. greatest
| when Lincoln was waiting to take up
the administration. with the Civil
! War impending. while there was an
other embarrassing period when Taft
| was waiting to turn the Government
over TO Wilson and when Mexico was
Gsking q. serious complication IN