Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-14

Settlement of the ancient controversy
over the pocket veto" by the Supreme
Court decision upholding the power OF
the President to kill legislation by this
method meets with the approval Of the
press generally, although some OF the
comment reflects feeling that fire.
quent use of the power should be avoid
ed by the Executive.
1.-THE courts decision was unanimous
and may be accepted as correctly m
terpreting the intent of the Constitu-
ton" is the conclusion of the Water
bury Republican. and the Wheeling In
teiiigeneer notes that the decision gives
legal sanction to practice that has
been employed for many years" The
Topeka Daily Capital is glad that ''un-
der the decision rhooted question OF
many years standing, even from the
beginnings Of the Government. is finally
settled" That the Supreme Court "has
brushed aside another OF the many vex-
atious questions which periodically rise
up to confound students of the Consti-
tuition" is the way the Yakima Morn
Stating that sit may seem strange
that the question had not before been
tested before the Supreme Court" the
Springfield Union explains the under
lying cause of its action at this time:
TN the last hours OF the first session
Of the last Congress Muscle Shoals
bill sponsored by Senator Norris was
passed. AS 1t was not among the bills
signed by President Coolidge in the final
hours of the session, nor afterward,
Senator Norris and others claimed that
the Muscle Shoals bill was law be-
cause 1t had not been returned as dis
approved" This claim, the Union adds,
rested on their Interpretation OF "ad-
journment" as meaning "the final ads
journment Of Congress and not the
adjournment Of q first session." con-
tention which the court overruied.
It was not the Muscle Shoals bill,
however, that was used for the test case,
but q relatively unimportant bill sent to
President Coolidge In June, 1926. au-
thorizing some Indian tribes In the state
of washington 70 file suit In the Court
Of Claims for compensation for lands.
bill retained 10 days by the President
becomes law, unless Congress by their
adjournment prevent its return, IN
which case 1t shall not become law,
cites the Seattle Daily Times, as IL
agrees with the courts decision that "a
vetoed bill could not be returned TO
Congress when 1t was not in session,
and that Senuins IL 10 an employe OF
Congress would not be legal return"
The Louisville Courier Journal an
alyzes the evident intention of the
Constitution" as being ito give the Pres
ident time to study measures, and the
Kentucky daily thinks 1t amply protects
the legislative department by fixing
DEFINITE limit on the time"
Here was the situation" says the
Lynchburg News. 1.-THE Muscle Shoals
bill was passed by the Congress by q
large majority, so large that the pros
poets were that a veto by the President
would be overridden by the Congress
and the bill would become law. TAX
ing advantage of the impending adj
jouYnment OF the Congress, President
Coolidge insured the Bills defeat by
pocketing 1t. AS 1t so happened, adj
tournament did come before the expira-
ton Of his constitutional 10 days and
the bill was killed. The consequence, of
course, Is that by a maneuver the Con-
gress was prevented from opportunity
TO override the Presidents Veto
y y
'sThe recent decision further fayors
the Executive by stating bluntly that
Congress must give the President the
bill 10 daygaoefore adjournment or else
assume ths AasnonsipilitE fog those nnnn.