Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-22

eminent that they be called into ses-
sion.
All of our 40 States elect members
of their Legislatures in November, ex-
cept Louisiana, which elects in April,
and Maine, which elects in September.
In Louisiana they are elected in April
and meet the following May. In Maine
they are elected in September and meet
the following January In Florida they
are elected in November and meet the
following April while in Georgia they
are elected in November and meet the
following June. In all the other "A
States the Legislature is elected in No
vember and meets the following jan
uary. In none of the 48 States does the
Legislature wait 10 months to assemble
after its election. In Georgia it assem-
bles within seven months; in Maine
within four months; in Louisiana within
one month; and in all the ether A
States within two months. Is there
any reason why the Congress of the
United States should be held back for
more than year after the people have
selected its members? To make such
a contention is not only absurd on its
face, but is an actual denial CT repre-
sentative government to the people of
the entire country. Under this system
we may have, as Lincoln said, govern
for the people" but we must wait 10
months to begin it. unless the President
should see fit to call Congress into extra
session. which no President ever does
unless he is compelled to, because most
Presidents prefer to occupy the stage
alone rather than share it with an in
convenient or an independent Congress.
Defeated Congress Holds On.
The result of this parliamentary sit
uation is that a defeated and repudi-
ated Congress still hangs onto the job
| for one whole session after It's defeat
and reputation. No parallel can be
found to this in either government or
business. There is not a private enter
prise worthy of investment in the
United States that would retain its en-
tire force in operation for four months
after flnding it wholly unsatisfactory in
the performance of its duties, and there
is not private enterprise in the whole
country which, after firing one set of
employees, would wait for Is months be-
fore allowing the new set to begin work
II no private business would tolerate
such a plan, why should the peoples
business be compelled to tolerate it?
In every congressional election and
in every presidential election there
is usually some outstanding con-
are called on to pass They are ex-
pected to register their will by accept
ing or rejecting the theories of those
who submit themselves as candidates
Candidates ought to be encouraged to
reveal to the people their views on i'm
portant and vital questions of policy
and principles in government, and
when the people, after full discussion
and consideration, have passed upon
fhOE0 nj vii 0{Vo1a l,x,
choosing one set of men and rejecting
another, there ought not to be such a
postponement of fulflment that those
who are elected may grow indifferent or
forgetful of the platforms upon which
they have been chosen. Such a system
Is not permitted in a State Legislature
or even in city council. Why should
the Congress of the United States, sup
posed to be responsive to and the SER
and white for Is months, while it's
predecessor, defeated, repudiated and
held to be faithless, remain in session
for at least three months to pervert and
reproach the will of the people?
Effect on FiiibusterS.
Another cogent and compelling rea-
son why this condition should be
changed is because it would not only
abolish the short, or so-caued lame
duck" session of Congress. fc- IT, rea-
sons already suggested, bat i. lid re-
move the power of a few men in the
Senate to engage in f1libusters against
| legislation at the end of the session
At present the last session of any Con-
! gress meets On the first Monday in De-
cCmber after Eanother one has been
chosen. It must adjourn automatically
on the 4th of the following March,
whether business is completed or not.
During this entire three-month session
It must work with a stop-Watch at its