New Britain herald., 1929-02-04
STATE MAY HAVE
new CONGRESSMAN
Senate Expected 10 Approve Of
Rslppordoansat &l
BY GEORGE n. MANNING


(washingtoa Correspondent. N. b. Herald,
Washington. d. c.. Feb. %.-Vic-
tory ut this session Of congress now
seems certain for hackers Of the re-,
appointment legislation which will
give Connecticut an additional MEM
Der of the house Of representatives.
increasing its membership to six.
The Fem reappointment bill, Al
ready passed by the house. will very
probably come before the senate for
final disposition within = fortnight.
A test vote when the bill was called
up by Senator Vandenberg Of Aicht-
gan last week showed . sufficient
majority in its favor for passage. but
lack of cloture rules on senate de-
bate may delay the actual voting. No
amendment was suggested by the
senate committee to the measure ~
1t paused the house after = bitter
fight.
II the bill passes, Connecticut's
representation in congress will be
nearly az high as its highest former
number. seven. The state has lost
twice under various reapportion-
ments. Under the first constitutional
Connecticut was al
lotted five members. its present num-
Der. In 1890 this was changed to
seven. In 1920 the state dropped
back to six and in 1870 to four. the
lowest mark. 1t stayed there until
1900, when it was increased to Ave.
where it has stayed ever since.
Congress takes no part in de-
termining how various parts Of the
state will be affected by the changes,
other than giving general instruc-
tons az to method. The state legis-
lature itself must redistrict the state
on the basis Of the new figures and
representation.
Rcapportionmcnt Automatic
The present reapportionment bill
10 regarded by some members II
constituting a dangerous precedent
in that it makes reapportionment
after the next census automatic.
This was achieved by directing the
secretary Of commerce to submit a
tabulation of the number Of men,
bers to which each state is entitled.
at the first session after the census
begins.
II congress fails to act, the clerk
of the house OF representatives II
then to be directed to send to the
states the usual certificates. based
on the secretary's tabulation, az to
the number Of Representatives to
which they are entitled.
Operation to this feature Of the
bill is based on constitutional argu-
ments. 1t IL argued that no con-
gress has the power to dictate pro-
cedure in such a manner to succeed
ing congresses. and that delegation
of such authority to the head Of q
department violates the spirit Of the
constitution.
The answer to these arguments by
proponents Of the bill is that a pre-
cedent for delegating such authority
has already been set by similar ac-
ton in the congress of 1850. which
required \ similar function from the
secretary Of the interior: and that
the function is purely ministerial"
and involves no discretionary
powers.
AZ for the dictation to succeeding
congresses, 1t is answered that there
is no restriction on succeeding SEES.
sions as to the number Of members
in the house or the method to be
used in determining representation.
and that the bill merely sets up ma
chinery which will make effective
the mandate of the constitution as to
decennial reapportionment.
Committees Viewpoint
The senate committee on com.
nerce in reporting out the bill with
out amendments the day after It
reached the upper chamber, gave
these reasons:
ITO warrant SO far a. possible the
constitutional valuation OF the 1890
census which has but one constitu
tional function. namely. that Of con-
trolling congressional apportion.
ment: (2) to correct as soon as prac-
ticable the existing discrepancies
and Determinations which victimize