New Britain herald., 1928-03-10
LAME DUCK WILL
 CONTINUE T0LIMP
House Kills Measure That WoaN
 Abolish B.Annua Session

[ lame duck" will continue to limp on Capitol Hill after the next cleo tions.
 Coming before the house for the first time. the four-times senate- approved constitutional amendment to abolish those biannual three months sessions of congress popu- larly known as the lame duck" terms was turned down yesterday, 209 to 157. This was 3S votes short of the two-thirds necessary for 3D. proval.
 Party Lines Fall or the S6S members present. there are 4s5 in the house-two, Stalker, republican. New York, and Williams, democrat. Texas. voted present. Party lines were obliterat- ed on the final vote, S9 republicans joining 11s democrats and two farmer-labor members in support Of the amendment, and 102 republi- cans combining with 55 democrats in opposition.
 The action. coming after three days Of heated debate. killed the chances Of the proposals adoption at this session. Had it been adopt ed. the legislatures of three -fourths of the states would have had 10 ap- ! prove II before il joined the other 19 amendments of the constitution. The amendment. attacked vigor- ously by republican leaders. would i have the meeting date of congress from the first Monday in December | to January f. thus convening it two months after an election instead Of Is months as at present and wipin. out the short session at which the lame ducks or members defeated in November are permitted to sit until adjournment March 1. The proposals also would have re- quired presidents to take office January 2i. instead of March 1. and ful constitutional provisions dealing constitutional provisions dealing with succession to the presidency in event of death of the president and vice-president. Two provisos spon- sored by democrats. went down with the amendments defeat. One, by Jeffers, Alabama, would have elim- mated specific adjournment dates for congress, and was designated. Jeffers said, to curtail the oppor- tunities for senate filibusters at the flag end of a session.
 Not Binding The other. by Garrett. Tennessee, the democratic leader. provided that the amendment would not be binding unless ratified by three-fourths of the states within seven years, and unless one new house in each state had been elected subsequent to its submission for state ratification.
 The house also had rejected on ! Thursday . rider to the amendment by Representative Bankhead. demo- crat, Alabama, proposing to increase from two to four years the terms of representatives.
 Tilson. of Connecticut. the repub- lican floor leader; Madden. of Int- nois. chairman Of the appropriations committed, and Shell of New York. chairman of the rules committee.
  amendment, although they met stif counter attacks from members of their own party-White of Kansas. co-author of the proposal. and Cliff ford of Massachusetts. Minority leader Garrett also had worthy foes on his side of the aisle, the chief attackers being three virginians, 1,,l NHA
 Not Binding
 Arguing that members had not been given sufficient time to con sider the proposed revisions of the amendment. Tilson. on one of his three oral charges against it. de- clared it would be better ito leave a thousand good things out of the constitution than to put one bad thing in."
 In offering his state legislature amendment. Garrett contended that at present fewer than 1000 people could amend the federal constitu- ton. He was supported by Ram sever. republican. Iowa.
 Madden on Floor
 Besides firing on the amendment itself Madden directed . special at tack on the Jeffers' proposal. con tending that automatic adjourn ment dates provided safety valve" against indefinite sessions and the spending Of the peoples money.
 Garrett interrupted and wanted to know if the appropriations con- mittee head could not think Of something else besides the treasury in writing the constitution"
 The protection of the treasury is in the largest measure 10 the peoples interest" Madden replied.