Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-20
Chance to End Lame Ducks
Seen in Change in Congress

Prospects Of elimination Of She
lame duck" session OF Congress are be-
Iieved by the public to have been
strengthened by the changes In the per-
sonnet Of the Legislative branch of the
Government, and the discussion e
revived. Attention Is given to the Nor
ris amendment, providing for an earlier
meeting Of Congress after election. The
| interval between election and the as
sembling OF the members Is now 10
months. It II pointed cut by some ad.
vocates Of the change that II can be
accomplished by legislation as well IS
by constitutional action. Opponents Of
the change believe that the long wait IL
conducive 70 well considered action.
Prom December ! to March l."
says the sc. Louis POST Dispatch. sCon-
gress win be in session-the biennial
lame-duck convention. Here will as
semble all manner Of members, to make
| laws for voters who have repudiated
them and their works. Helm Of Ala
bama, Pine Of Oklahoma, Allen Of Kan
sas, Deneen Of Illinois, Simmons Of
North Carolina. Blease Of South Caro-
lima, Grundy Of Pennsylvania and many
others In both Senate and House, re-
jected In primary or eiection--what q
roll call It viii bel Meanwhile their
successors, In whom the people have
voted confidence, will mark time, pow
erless until December Z, 1891, save in
the unlikely event Of q special session,
to execute the mandate given to them"
Stating that the Norris amendment,
making the change, "has passed the
Senate I'VE times since 1928, but has
fse TO and obtain sa t spDT sSsnr. In vo sSs
be vastly preferable to the present
method, whereby campaign pledges
may be forgotten in the long period
intervening" the Charlotte News ar
CUES: THE length Of time that must
elapse between the election of Repre-
sentatives to Congress and the conven-
ing Of that body as constituted by the
current action of the electorate Is Q
grotesque anti-climax to the furore of
the voting period. In the present case,
wherein the outcome Of the balloting
amounted to nothing less than q re-
call of the present administration Of
legislative affairs, the situation ap-
proaches q deplorable travesty Of fran
chise."
zone wonders" according to the
Worcester Telegram, "why there Is not
effort to obtain reform by simple legis-
lation instead Of by amendment to the
Constitution. For Congress under the
OOttStAOuOAOu 1ldo bk1C power W dRpOut
q different day than the first Monday
In December for the opening of its an
nual session. For example, Congress
could meet annually in the middle of
March, take q recess through July and
August or longer and meet again in the
Fall, say in the middle Of November.
Thus would be abolished the evils of
the short or lame duck session now
occurring in alternate Winters and end
ing by constitutional limitation on
March e."
"It Is obvious" agrees the Chat
tanooga Times, that Congress could,
If it had q mind to do so, provide for
newly elected congresses to meet on
January /, March or any other con-
venient day after the November cleo
tons and thus obviate the necessity for
Iaune-duck sessions. There may be
good reasons for the National Legis-
latureis failure to exercise its power
to remedy what many consider q grave
defect In the Federal Government and
to remove q cause Of growing popular
discomfort. But II there are, It Is
not likely that citizens generally are
aware Of them"
Conceding that the coming short
session, in view Of present necessities.
should do more than Is expected of
lame duck" session, the Fort Worth
Star Teleg1 am states as to its duties: 1T
has an opportunity to write construc-
tive record It can speed the various
measures that have been inaugurated
for the relief Of unemployment BY
making appropriations immediately
available, particularly the $I25, OOO, 900
appropriation for highway aid that
ordinarily would not become available