Evening star., 1933-10-15
BY OWEN L. SCOTT.

The twentieth amendment to the
Constitution Of the United States. as
it effects the terms of the President,
Vice President and members Of Con-
gress, becomes effective tomorrow.
It means the loss Of about $9,375 in
salary to President Roosevelt, about
81 500 to Vice President Garner and
of about $1,000 to each member OF
Congress. 1t also marks the end OF
lame duck" sessions Of Congress and
renders impossible any future successful
filibuSter.
Henry L. Simson, then Secretary of
State. certified on February last that
thirty-Six States had ratified the
twentieth amendment and that the
amendment was valid to all intents
and purposes as part of the Constitu-
ton of the United States" But Sec
ton five of that amendment said that
sections one and two would take effect
October Is, following the ratification
OF the article. Section one and two
said that:
Il. The terms of the President and
Vice President shall end at noon on
the twentieth day Of January and the
terms OF Senators and Representatives
at noon on the third day of January
Of the years in which such terms would
have ended II this article had not been
ratified, and the terms Of their sue
cessors shall then begin.
20. The Congress shall assemble at
least once in every year, and such
meeting shall begin on the third day
of January. unless they shall by law
appoint different date"
Section one means a cash loss to
present officials because in the past
the President, the Vice President and
members OF Congress went out of Office
and left the pay roll at noon March 4.
Now the President and the Vice Presi-
dent will get their last check for their
present terms on January 20, 1887,
losing about six weeks from the regu-
lar four-year term. That brings a
corresponding reduction in total pay.
Members of Congress 60 out on Janu-
ary hereafter, so that present men,
bers will lose slightly over two months
pay.
In tie present situation there is the
further practical result that the As
sembly of Congress will be delayed
from the first Monday in December,
which this year would be December 4,
to January 3, 1894, which falls on q
Wednesday. President Roosevelt, unless
he calls q special session, will be pro-
vided with an extra month of grace
before having Congress on his hands
The President has indicated that he
does not contemplate q call for Con-
gress to meet earlier than the new
section Of the Constitution provides.
In the future, when Congress meets.
| nothing but its own desires and the end
Of its term can cause 1t to adjourn.
Formerly, in election years. Congress
hn AVCf IN,
December and then its term would end
at noon of the succeeding March 4.
Now Congress will come in January Of
each year and can continue to sit rs
| long as it wishes, or until q new Con-
gress takes its place each second jan
uary.
This means that filibusters, in which
| individual Senators or groups OF Sena-
tors utilize short sessions Of Congress
| to obstruct legislation, now are thing
of the past.
+** \
Lame ducks" are also abolished by
the new amendment. In the past the
Congress elected in November would
! not meet in regular session until De-
cember Of the next year, or more than a
year after election. This meant that
members who had been defeated in the
November election would sit in Congress
| during the annual session commencing
| in December and would participate un-
til March 4 in legislating for q public
who might have repudiated them.
Inasmuch as the session following
an election is only three months in
length the opportunity was given for
minority obstruction Of legislation that
the public might have indicated that
it desired. Henceforth. however, de-
feated Congressman will be unable to
sit again and the newly elected Con-
gress will meet quickly after the voters
have given them q mandate.
These changes in the Federal Consti-
| tuition were made quickly once the
States were given an opportunity to pass
on them But 1t required ten years Of
effort on the part Of sponsors Of the
| amendment to get the two Houses of
Congress to agree on its submission to
the State Legislatures.
~ ~
Senator George w. Norris of Nebras-
ka, who led the fight for the twentieth
, amendment, explained that no other
Legislature, not even In the States,
| permitted members to legislate after
| they had been defeated by the voters.
During my service in Congress"
Senator Norris said, Il have seen many
instances where some members Of the
Senate, who had been defeated for
reelection. were absolutely subservient
to the will Of the Executive. And
have seen these same men rewarded
| for their conduct by appointment to
Offices better than the ones the people
had taken from them in the preceding
election"
Under the old conditions q member
of the House of Representatives does
not get started in his work until it Is
necessary for him to engage in contest
| for denomination and reelection. He has
made no record upon which to go before
the people for reelection. Under the
new conditions he will have an oppor-
tunity to show by his works whether
he Is worthy Of reelection or not"
Point was made Of the fact that the
old short sessions, with the jam OF