Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1932-07-14
CAMPAIGN
CLoSE-uPs
BY Donald Morgan

the storm, is this weeks surprising
lull in campaign activity. Although
both the political parties. through
conventions assembled, have officially
declared war on one another and have
issued calls to arms to loyal members,
the actual clash of the opposing
forces has as yet failed to materialize.
Just when they will commence actual
hostilities with the customary barrage
of radio exhortations and press pro-
nunciamentos, with the usual scout
ing expeditions out into the doubtful
segments of the battle-line" Is un-
certain.
On his part, President Hoover, G. o.
P. Generalissimo, announced recently
that the pressure OF business at the
capital compels him to delay partici-
patton in the conduct Of the campaign
until early in August.
His rival, Governor Roosevelt, the
Democracy's standard bearer, stated
in his Chicago speech of acceptance
that his party would launch the at
tack Immediately. It seems clear,
however, that the governor will be
forced to suspend further advance
until settlement Of all trouble in the
ranks, especially of that involved in
the controversy over Manhattan's
dapper mayor, Jimmie" Walker. I'm
til the Tammany lieutenant answers
the charges Of misuse of public office
brought against him by the Seabury
investigators and pending the COVER
nor's final disposal of the case by
oust.ng, reprimanding, or commencing
the mayor, the Democratic battalion,
too, must delay attack.
After all, considering that not until
November do the final elections oc-
cur, considering also that under the
terms of the Constitution not urtil
March 4, 1888, do the winning candi-
dates take office and that not until
December, 1888, unless the newly in
augurated president calls a special
session, does the newly-elected Con-
gress convene, we are led to ask,
why the hurry?"
And therein lies story! It was all
very well back in 1889, the year of
the adoption of the original Constitu-
ton, for the founding fathers to pro-
vide that four months should elapse
between the elections in November
and the installation of the new Of
ficers. In those horseback and stage
coach days, travelling was slow, and
1t was matter of weeks for returns
of elections to come in from the out
lying frontier districts. Once all the
ballots were in and once the electoral
college which meets in Washington
in January had elected the President
and Vice President, it was a matter
of more weeks to notify the winners
and to bring them to the capital for
their Inauguration.
Then, too, the amount Of business
which the national government was
called on to transact in those early
days was negligible when compared
with its present day proportions. The
problem of government in the thirteen
states was largely a local affair, SO
that only in case Of serious emergency
was it necessary for the November
elected Congress to assemble before
the regular date, December Of the fol-
lowing year. But with the intensive
improvements in travel and commune
cation with the steady increase in
business performed by the national
government. these delays have come
to constitute serious defect In our
government system. Election Day
comes this year on November 7th. The
telegraph, the radio, and the press will
carry to the entire nation the results
of the balloting by the 9th or at the
latest the 9th. If need be, the win
ming candidates might be sworn into
office by the 18th, thanks to modern
methods of travel. Yet according to
ancient practice, they must wait at
the least, four months. Meanwhile,
many of the urgent problems fought
over in this campaign will continue to
be treated by Congress (and pos
sibly by an administrator many of
whose members the voters will have
repudiated at the polls.
We wonder If our readers are aware
of the proposal which Congress has
this year offered to remedy this de-
feet. This proposal comes in what will
be, If ratified by the legislatures OF
three-fourths of the states and as
now seems probable, the Goth amend
ment to the Federal Constitution. BY
its terms. elections would be held