The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-04-12
GOD SAVE THE EXECUTIVES!

DREsIDENT ROOsEvELT's strong, vigor-
Gus, and timely leadership has aroused
many rumbling fears relative to the danger
Of executive tyranny and dictatorship
Theoretically, it is probably true that in
a democracy the laW-breakng department.
which most directly represents the popular
will, should be the strongest and most effec-
tive branch of the government But in prac-
tice this rarely or never has proved to be the
case.
Congress has seized decisive leadership in
our national history only twice, namely, just
before the War of 1872 and right after the
Civil war. In both cases this congressional
autocracy proved unmitigatedly disastrous
If this is true of the national government,
is is even more decidedly the case with our
state legislatures. In a cogent and amusing
article on THE Clown as Lawmaker," in the
American Mercury William Seagle describes
the character and methods of our lawmakng
bodies in the several states of the Union
Seagle is a learned scholar, well-trained
lawyer, and better informed on state legisla-
tive methods than any other living American.
Therefore. this article is no cheap claptrap by
an illiterate upstart.
Seagle presents an amazing spectacle of
the alternative to strong executive leadership
The general flavor of his characterization of
state legislative methods may be discerned
from the following:
From the first day, when, as the pleasant
custom is the desks of the members are.
banked with gifts and flowers, to the final
love feast at adjournment, when they march
about singing Hail. Hail the Gangs All Here
We Won't Go Home Until Morning. and Tt
Amt a-Gonna Rain No More the interior
of the typical state legislative chamber re-
sembIes mixture of the circus, the New York
Stock Exchange, a lunatic asylum and a fish
market.
THE sheer noises which prevails often is
so deafening that it becomes almost impos-
sible to transact business. The legislators al
ways are extending the privilege of the floor
to an army of friends, relatives lobbyists and
visitors, and the walls often echo with loud
cries of Bunk 'Hokum!' 'Applesaucer and
Banana OH as the chambers are invaded
by boisterous hordes who have marched upon
the state capital to protest against this or
that"
Our solons derive their political prestige
quite as much from their talent as enter
tainers as from their legislative acumen. The
Texas legislature was long proud of it's fat
man. California boosted of a member who
once had been full-fedged circus performer.
Idaho proudly exhibited a formidable poker
bloc. The halls are full of Nuts and Jeffs,
Gold Dust Twins, Wild Bulls of the Pampas,
Potashes and Perlmutters, and Andy Gumps."
The most novel stunts are carried out in
the solemn legislative halls. In Idaho fake
Fascist revolution was staged. In Arizona a
bogus raid by masked bandits was planned
The gunner entered the legislature and shot
it up with blank cartridges while in formal
session.
In Tennessee the chairs of lawmakers were
wired for electricity and connected with but
ton at the speakers desk. The latter was able
to press the button and send the unsuspecting
solons leaping into the air. In Utah fifteen
beautiful girls walked down the aisles in cos
tunes representing leading measures before
the legislature.
Two lawmakers thereupon arose and osten-
sible shot each other dead in a fake duel,
being carried out amidst loud cheers.
lady legislator was addressing the New
Jersey assembly on the crime menace. To
strengthen her arguments. she arranged that
the assemblymen should be confronted with
machine guns and automatic rifles pointed
menacingly at them.
When South Dakota legislator spoke in
favor of capital punishment, his opponents
hung a dummy by the neck from a balcony
rail Monkeys frequently sent to legis-
lators introducing anti-evolution laws.
Special fun is had by ordering inveStiga-
tions of every subject under the sun. In
California the lawmakers discovered that each
of the legislative reporters had a private spit
toon, while the lawmakers were only allotted
one spittoon to two legislators. They solemnly
ordered an investigation of this outrageous
injustice
All this horseplay, Of which only few
instances cited by Seagle are given, might be
merely idiotic and not harmful, were it not
for the fact that it is used to ridicule or
kill serious important legislation.
No matter how important a measure may
be, it has little chance of passing if anything
connected with its sponsor. its content, or its
mode of presentation offers any occasion for
banal humor.
favorite way Of killing bill through
burlesque is to refer it to the wrong COM
mittee, for example, referring bill on She
regulation of dance halls to the committee on