Evening star., 1932-02-27

Action by the House Of Representa-
tives supporting the Norris amendment
| for the elimination of the "lame duck
| sessions of Congress Is viewed by the
country as advancement toward better
legislative conditions. 1t is particularly
commended as offering a curb on
| flibustering by defeated members of
| Congress at a session following the
| election. Increased efficiency is seen in
the elimination of the session which
comes between the election and the
convening Of the new Congress 13
months later
Let's get this twentieth amendment
to the Federal Constitution ratified as
quickly as possible" urges the Houston
Chronicle, with the additional comment
IF the so-called liberal leaders were
one-tenth as much concerned about
finding what the people can do to
strengthen and permanently stabilize
the productive and distributory ma
chinery on which we must all depend
for all our welfare as they have been
in devising ways of getting Congress
more Immediately responsive to the
people they would be a good deal nearer
rendering some fundamentally impor-
tant service to the country"
Under the proposal" remarks the
Charleston, CW. Va) Daily Mail, all
sessions of Congress would be unlimited,
the purpose of which would be to pre-
vent filibustering, a form Of legislative
tactics that In the past has been used to
kill many worthwhile proposals"
The Daily Mail says that "its expected
ratification will mean a decidedly pro-
gressive step" Pointing out that the
amendment would no longer permit q
repudiated Congress to pass legislation" :"
the Boston Post comments: 1T will take
time to have it ratified by Sc States.
There is not, however, much doubt that
it will become an accepted amendment,
by the States" The Omaha World
Herald is convinced that there is no
good reason why the States should take
any longer time than must necessarily
elapSe before the next sessions OF their
Legislatures convene"
*
''It will mark a noteworthy improve
ment in the system under which the
Federal Government functions" in the
opinion of the Asbury Park Press,
which observes that Senator Norris has
fought for this bill for 10 years, but
constant objections from Congressman
fearful Of reducing the lengths Of their
terms have prevented its passage" Re-
Calling LIldb I1lc pICSC1J
originated in the "stagecoach" days,
the Rochester TimeS-Union concludes
that the Government of the United
States will at last recognize the exis-
tence of the railroads"
Grab political boons while the grab
bing is good, argues the Fort Worth
Star Telegram, with the assertion that
during these days the lame duck is
the highest, widest and handsomest
piece Of bric-a-brac in Washington"
for "his constituency has given him the
air and his erstwhile heavy sense Of re-
sponsibility has lifted as fog" The
Telegram AYERS: Merely from
force Of habit, IL will be well for the
people to hurry and ratify the amend
ment when it comes to them"
This amendment, if ratified" In the
opinion of the Topeka Daily Capital,
will strengthen the hands of Congress
and weaken those of the President
That has been at bottom the battle for
20 years. Norris first introduced his
resolution when a member of the
House in 1906. 1t was his object to
strengthen the power Of Congress. Yet
1t was the popular branch which regu-
larly defeated the amendment and up
held the growing power of the executive.
The Senate regularly adopted the
resolution. Under the present terms