Evening star., 1928-05-30
Just Before Adjournment.

stranger to American parliamentary
procedure visiting Washington yester-
day and attending the closing session
OF Congress would have had occasion to
reflect seriously upon the matter OF
American efficiency, so widely celebrat-
ed and so proudly boasted by 5he people
OF this country. He would have been
edited by the scenes which marked the
last hours of both House and Senate.
He would have seen the dignified upper
branch OF Congress in unseemly turmoil,
its most dignified members engaged In
vituperation and all but physical en-
counter. He would have seen the
House agitated by a one-man filibuster
against local bill and derided in
schoolboy fashion by his colleagues, with
cries Of Louder" while his stentorian
voice was resounding far beyond the
chamber itself.
The American people cannot COM
plain If visitors to this Capital who
chance upon such spectaclcs return and
speak and write in terms OF disDarage-
ment OF the way the United States
attends TO its most important affairs
the way in which representative govern
ment functions in legislative expression.
The Senate has been called the greatest
deliberative body in the world. and yet
during the past session 1t has been
repeatedly the scene OF violent out
breaks and bitter personalities, of
blockades and delays, of extraneous
time consuming oratory and of frequent
demagoguery. 1t has as result OF its
complex OF rules left undone the things
1t ought to have done, and done some
things it assuredly ought not TO have
done.
The other night seven young men,
representing the youth Of America.
stood upon stage In this city and
delivered nasterfui orations upon the
Constitution Of the United States. pay
ing high tribute TO the efficiency Of the
American system OF government II
they were present yesterday In the halls
Of Congress they would have perhaps
been disiliusioned By the manner III
which the Constitution works out at
the fag end Of the session. Their faith
in the strength and virtue OF the
American institutions would probably
not have been really shaken. but they
would have felt that perhaps the per-
Torrance OF governmental duty is not
up TO the ideal which inspired the
trainers Of the great instrument which
they have 50 lately celebrated and
praised.
OF course, there are other phases Of
congressional procedure which do not
attract attention because Of their
normsIcy. Congress does not always
proceed In beliigerent or petuIant spirit
II often, indeed usually, marches
straightforyardiy 10 results. But at the
end Of the session. when conditions
favor the filiblster, 1t unquestionably
degenerates from the high standard Of
achievement that was set by It's
creators.
Perhaps IL it could be 50 arranged
as 70 have an intelligent delegation
from each State and each congressional
district In the galleries OF the two
houses within the last two days OF each
session 10 observe in bipartisan and
politically detached spirit the scenes
enacted On the two floors and then 70
return home and spread the news of
nov Congress winds up its business,
there might be nome reaction of reform
" bring about eventually, perhaps Soon,
q change for the better. Possibly the
installation Of radio and 3 country
vide broad asting Of the debate" Of
ffae last few hours would yieid speedy
results.
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