Evening star., 1939-10-02

grants of authority which the Con-
gresS itself has at one time or an
other bestowed on the Executive.
Likewise, there's a movement un-
der way, initiated by the plea of
former Gov Landon of Kansas,
that Congress should stay in contin-
uous session. This is but another
way of saying the people do not
want one-man Government in crises
that might mean momentous deci-
sions of war or peace.
The whole neutrality controversy
has underlying it fundamental cur
rent which has appeared more than
once in recent history. 1t is a dis
trust of the wide powers granted
to the Executive. The fear that a
President might plunge the Nation
into war before the action could be
prevented is much more widely held
than is generally supposed in WASH
ington. Suggestions were made a
few months ago that if it was feared
a change in traffic in arms might be
misapplied by President, national
commission composed of three men,
bers each of the Senate and the
House, together with three cabinet
officers, might be appointed to sit
as check during recesses of Con-
gress.
ROosevent Cognizant of Trend.
Recognition of this aspect of the
neutrality problem came in dis
cusslons last summer by the House
Foreign Affairs Committee, which
specifically considered such a pro-
posal emanating from Represent
ative Corbett of PENNSYLVANIA
President Roosevelt, too, took cog
nizance of this trend last month
when he said in his neutrality mes
sage that he hoped the leaders of
the majority and minority parties
would stay here during the expect
ed recess of Congress SO as to be
available for consultation on matters
growing out of the European war
situation.
The same issue-the power of the
EXecutive-arises when third-term
proposals are considered imper-
sonally. The opportunity of Presi-
dent to misuse his Office so as to
secure reelection is just as patiently
subject to criticism when a second
term is under consideration as when
a third term is debated. 1t is what
Woodrow Wilson termed the illicit
use of the presidency to perpetuate
a man in office that has caused
amendments to be introduced to
limit Presidents to one term.
Mr.. Wilson, first in a book written
IN 1885 when he was a professor of
political science, and, later, when he
was President-elect of the United
States early in 1913, declared that
presidential tenure was not so i'm
portant as the system by which q
President could be brought promptly
to account for failure to reflect the
public will. Mr.. Wilson favored for
America some modification of the
English parliamentary system with
a cabinet chosen from the National
Legislature.
No One-Man Rule,
Today, as the presidency has be-
= come superhuman task and as
the Nation, indeed fears more than
ever one-man government, the con-
trast with the British system is
most striking. The British cabinet
decisions are not those of one man,
but of 20 men. They are not the
decisions of the executive branch of
the government, but of both the ex-
ecutive and the legislative branches
combined. For the cabinet is part
of the national legislature and so is
the Prime Minister and his party
associates.
If America had the parliamentary
system there would be no second or
third term problems. A President
could be in Office two years, or six,
or even twelve-but he could be
turned out of Office at any moment
by a majority vote of the House of
Representatives if out of tune with
the people and that majority would
find itself responsible for the selec-
ton of a new executive and the
formulation of substitute policies, or
CloO OAAS SObAlC1y WoAAO NC dShCO w
choose new House AS it is today
majority of the House can block
an administration program and
escape without the slightest respon-
sibility for offering substitute. A
deadlock can continue which the
people might not break for four
years if they elect a Congress from
npo y,ort,, orJ a DraciJo,,t froy,, on
other. Many a presidential term in
our history has been stagnated by
these deadlocks. Also lack of CO.
operation between the executive and
legislative branches has been as
much criticized as has a rubber
stamp surrender by the legislative
to the executive. Under a par
hamentary system the public will
could force out of Office both q legis-
lative majority and an executive,
replacing them both, or a President
could get rid of recalcitrant Con-
gress which did not reflect the pub
lie will simply by insisting on a ma
tional referendum.
Extreme Power in Veto.
At present with a rigid calendar
OF elections, issues arise which have
to wait for fixed date for solution,
Special sessions can be called only
by the Executive. The party
leaders alone cannot compel an
extra session when one is needed
Also the veto power of the Execu-
tive is extreme. A President is
stronger than just one vote less
than two-thirds of both Houses.
With Supreme Court majority
now, moreover, which recognizes the
supremacy of the legislative body
and refuses in effect to declare any
more laws unconstitutional, America
has come under an unwritten consti-
tuition or, so to speak, a constitution
by judicial Interpretation in con-
formity with the Legislatures will.