Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-22
BARLEY SCORES
LAME DUCK POLICY
Senator Would Have Newly
Elected Congress Meet at
Earlier Date.

Abolition Of the so-called "lame duck
sessions of Congress as a means of wip-
ing out evils of far-reaching effect in
national life was urged by Senator Alben
w. Barley Of Kentucky in the National
Radio Forum arranged by The Wash
ington Star and broadcast last night
over q Nationwide hook-up of the
Columbia BroadcaSting System. His ad-
dress was heard locally from Station
WMAL.
The present system, which permits
members of Congress who have been
repudiated at the polls to sit ard !egis-
late through the short session of Con-
gress every other year, Senator Bark
ley branded as absurd
Such q system" he declared, makes
ours the most Immediately unresponsive
legislative body in any civilized nation
in the world. 1t makes it necessary for
members of Congress to become candi-
dates for reelection before they have
taken their seats or begun their duties
or made any kind of legislative record
as q result of their previous election.
No such condition exists in any other
parliamentary government"
No Need for Delay.
No one can contend with reason, SEN
ator Barley said, that there Is any
need for holding up the assembly of
Congress for year after the election of
its members. To make such a conten-
ton, he declared, lis not only absurd
on its face, but Is an actual denial of
representative government to the people
of the entire country"
Under the system as 1t exists, said
Senator Barley, the country may have
representative government, but it has
to wait ID months to begin it, unless
the President calls an extra session of
Congress, which never is done except
under extreme compulsion.
The result of this parliamentary
situation" he explained, "is that a de-
feated and repudiated Congress still
hangs onto the job for one whole ses-
sion after its defeat and reputation.
No parallel can be found to this in
either government or business. There
Is not private enterprise worthy of
investment in the United States that
would retain its entire force in opera
ton for four months after finding it
wholly unsatisfactory in the perform
ance Of its duties, and there Is not a
private enterprise in the whole country
which, after firing one set of employees,
would wait for IS months before allow
ing the new set to begin work. II no
a plan, why should the peoples BUSH
ness be compelled to tolerate it?"
Says People Want Change.
Senator Barley listed many reasons
for supporting the enactment of the
lame duck" amendment to the Consti-
tuition, which, he pointed out, has been
pending before Congress for many years
and which has been Overwhelmingly ap-
nTnUad a
sions in recent years.
The people all over the Nation de-
sire the amendment. The press in
every State, with few exceptions. has
urged its passage, the American Bar
Association repeatedly has Endorsed it,
and the completely of our modern legis-
lative system requires it." he said
The voice and the conscience of
progressive and enlightened men and
women demand 1t" he concluded. Let
us have it,"
The full text Of Senator Barkleys
address appears in the editorial section
of today's Star.