Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-28
Member Of the Associated Press.
The Norris Remedy.

&AC NO444S &SV4ACAJs
Senator Norris does not look upon q
Third party-new, liberal and headed by
hirnself-as q remedy for the present
political situation in this country. He
favors instead the repeal Of that pro-
vision Of the Constitution providing for
the election Of Presidents and Vice
Presidents by an electoral college. The
people, he insists, have no real voice
In the matter Of picking their Chief
Executives under the present system.
The major political parties are con-
trolled, he continues, by small groups
Of so.called leaders, and back Of these
leaders are big interests. which reach
out to take control Of both parties. The
abolition Of the electoral college and of
the necessity Of nominating presidential
electors In each State, Mr.. Norris be-
lieves, would make it possible for the
independent voters, the people, to place
independent candidates for President In
nomination by petition, provided they
were not satisfied with the nominations
made by the political parties.
The Nebraska Senator IS consistent
ID his non-partisanship in this sugges-
ton. He does not believe In the two
party system. He does not believe in
TIE efficacy of setting UP q new party.
For Q new party, once it obtained power,
would sooner or later be backslider.
II would be dominated by selfish In
terestS For that reason Senator Norris
II unwilling to accept the invitation ex-
tended 10 him by Prof. John Dewey Of
Columbia University to head q third
party movement, with the liberals Of the
country massed behind him. He has
another reason-the impracticability Of
the plan for new party, lack of money
and time TO organize and get into the
fray for the 1882 presidential campaign.
And %, paradoxically, Senator Norris
viii continue to cling to the Republican
party, even though other Republicans
claim that he Is . barnacle impeding
the successful onward course Of the
Republican ship.
The suggestion that the electoral
college be done away with Is not new.
It has been put forward by others and
also by Senator Norris In the past, when
lss offered Q resolution calling for an
amendment 10 the Constitution doing
away with the college" He gave It
I'd at the time because, he says. women
suHragists came TO him and declared
they could not support the movement.
Now he has resurrected the idea. He
plans to offer constitutional amend
ment resolution when the new Congress
opens. It offers him an alternative for
the proposal that he shall get out Of the
Republican party.
Despite his dislike Of the two-party
system and the fact that Senator Norris
could have run, without any difficulty,
40 IN independent candidate in the last
senatorial election IN Nebraska, he
chose to retain his connection with the
@. o. p. He was unwilling for one
reason or another to put his independent
and non-partisan system TO the test, in
his own case
In removing from the Constitution
the provision for electing its represent
aByes In the electoral college, who In
turn elect the President. Senator Norris
necessarily must substitute provision
for the direct vote Of the people in
presidential elections. In that event Il
would Be REQUESTS 70 continue the
present apporticnment Of electoral votes
for President among the States, or.
deing away with this apportionment.
provide for the election Of the President
by popular vote, breaking down State
lines. The second step would be close
behind the abolition Of the electoral
college, leaving the direct election Of
Presidents by popular vote. Such a
change might easily alter the whole
political map OF tie country. Many Of
the States would resent bitterly any
move to tear down the apportionment
Of strength now existing in the election
Of the President.
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