Evening star., 1932-11-06

see the contents exposed. Even when
that moment arrives, only the President
of the Senate has the right to let day
light into any of the four dozen pack
ages of secrecy" The votes are no
more secret, as the fact goes, than
the headlines of this mornings pa
per- Everybody knows how they are
to be cast approximately two months
before they are given form in assem-
blages Of electors who follow the bidding
of the results of the popular election In
November.
The net result is that Congress Is
forced in its whole relationship to the
counting of the electoral votes, to engage
itself in q fine make-believe.
First move of the legislative machin-
cry in that direction comes when
minor Senate committee brings forth
resolution providing for the Joint ses-
sion at which the ballots are to be
counted The Senate, steeled for duty.
adopts it. Soon thereafter, members Of
the Senate line up, two abreast and In
the order of seniority. Then, with dig
nifty setting the pace, they start the
march from their chamber to that OF
the House of Representatives, located
500 feet in the distance
cRIM adherence to the letter Of the
- rules would call for the Vice Presi-
dent to carry the two ballot boxes at
the head of the parade, with the sec
retary of the Senate and the sergeant
at arms of the Senate step or SO be-
hind him. The theory is that the ballots
must be in the custody of the Vice Presi-
dent, as President of the Senate, and In
his custody only, from the time they
arrive at the Capitol. In practice. how
ever, the vote-laden boxes are carried
by two boys-selected from among the
Senate pages-who march at the head
of the double line Of Senators.
Four years ago the procession began
to move at 54 minutes past noon, with
arrival at the House chamber by l
O'Clock imperative. Since the affair has
many years of guidance and experience
behind it, the 6-minute interval between
the first shuf1ing of feet and arrival at
the destination may be regarded as an
established order
The votes and their very consequen-
tial escort cause an initial stir at the
entrance to the House chamber when a
doOrkeeper announces to the Speaker
that the Senate awaits. The legislative
equivalent of tell them to come in"
brings the visiting contingent to occu-
pancy of seats which are assigned under
,,roo;co1u uorIoI r,,loc
This stage of the proceedings will find
Mr.. Curtis mounting the daiS at l
o'clock on February 8, there to take his
place at the right of the Speaker.
Thirty feet above, eyes of the press and
the galleried public will gaze at the pair
of men who went into November as
opposing political candidates and came
out of that month as victor and van
quiShed.
Election of the President and Vice
President for the next term of four
years should be completed within half
an hour. In 1929, the job was COM
pleted and the Senate was back in its
own hall SO minutes after the joint ses-
sion opened.
At that rate, less than one minute
will be devoted to consideration of the
votes cast by the electors chosen in each
State. Within that minute IS to be In
cluded the time required to move the
envelopes from the mahogany boxes
and to place them in the hands Of the
Vice President, as well as the seconds
which will pass while the presiding
officer opens the envelopes and while
what they see.
ONCE in a vermillion moon the mo-
- notonouS intonings of the four