Evening star., 1932-03-22
WALSH EXPLAINS
LAME DUCK BILL
Montana Senator Outlines
Purposes in Forum
Address.

The Lame Duck Amendment" to the
Constitution now before the States for
ratification, under which Congress
would take Office about two months
after election. and which would also
advance the Inauguration of the Presi-
dent, last night was explained by Sem
ator Thomas J. Walsh, Democrat, Of
Montana, in a speech in the National
Radio Forum. arranged by The Star,
and broadcast over the oOast-to-cOAst
network of the National BroadcaSting
Company.
THE outstanding accomplishments to
be expected from the change" Senator
Walsh said, ARE the removal of the
peril Of legislation through the action
OF ofhcials who, by acid test of the
election, are out of harmony with pre-
vailing sentiment, the avoidance of the
defeat OF meritorious legislation and
the Ilactment of measures devoid OF
merit If not actually harmful in the
jam incident to adjournment ON a day
fixed by law, and finally the more
prompt action toward the enactment of
legislation dealing with issues involved
In congressional elections
Opening Set for January 3.
Under the proposed twentieth
amendment Congress would meet an
riually on January g. IN unlimited ses-
sion, which would bring the newly
elected membership into once within
90 days after the election instead Of l3
months later as is now the case. and
would do away with the short session
Of Congress now held every two years.
The date of seating the President and
Vice President would be advanced to
January 20.
The amendment. now proposed. and
which has already been ratified by
Virginia and New York. has been under
consideration for about 10 years, Sen
Ator walsh explained.
Senator Norris, Republican, Of Ne
braskA. he continued. took up the issue
and has fought for 1t through the
years.
Text Of Speech Given.
The text Of Senator Walshs speech
follows:
ION the Sd day Of March, in this
year of grace, 1882, there was trans
raitted to the Secretary OF State. upon
the concurrence of the two houses OF
Conaress. for certification to the Legis-
IAtures of the various States for ratifi-
cation, in accordance with the fifth
article of the Constitution, the twen-
tieth amendment thereto, popularity
known as the lame duck amendment.
So responsive is it to popular sentiment
that, having passed the Senate with
but Z diSSentient votes, and the
House with but Sc, 1t was ratified by
the Legislature of the stsid old State
of virginia even before the resolution
of the Congress in the premises had
been formally and officially submitted
to the body so acting. and like action
was promptly taken by the Legislature
of the State Of New York. just about to
adjourn for the session when the pro-
posal was laid before it. 1t Is singular
that these two States should have led
in the ratification Of this particular
amendment the two in which took
place the most searching and decisive
debates over the adoption OF the Con-
stitution itself.
The amendment IL proposed for the
correction of at least two major evils
incident to our system Of government.
The election for members of Congress
takes place on the first Tuesday after
the first Monday in Novemher Of each
alternate year, but the terms Of the
members ELECT do not begin until the
following 4th day of March, on the ex-
piration of the terms OF their prede-
cessors, at noon on that day, ut which
time the session Of Congress, COM
Tnencing on the first Monday in De-
cember preceding, automatically comes
to an end. Accordingly q full session
Of Congress intervenes between the
time of the election and the commence
rnent of the terms Of all members elect
Of the House of Representatives and of
one-third Of those of the Senate. The