The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-12-30

QllNlldll6C0s "a
cept for a very few ballots. in both
legislative chambers.
If the Democratic and Republic
an labels still mean anything, the
president. as a Democrat, has APP
proximately the same majorities
overwhelming ones) in the nth
pair of lawmaking bodies that he
had In the 10th.
The fact is. though, as every
body knows. that the labels mean
ings now are exceedingly doubtful.
There are Republicans. who mostly
are anti-New Deal There are New
Deal Democrats. And there are
anti-New Deal Democrats, who
classify with the Republicans about
as often as they do with the New
Deals kind of Democrats.
What Bill Is About
Now, l suppose folk generally
understand what the 'Valter-Logan
bill aimed at Yet I've had several
readers ask questions concerning
1t, so I'll recapitulate briefly.
1t was quite complicated bill.
a ground upon which considerable
fault was found with 1t. perhaps
Justly. Nevertheless its main pur-
pose was plain enough. The Wash
ington government has a large
number of executive agencies, pres
identially appointed; consequently
responsible only to the White
House. There's. been a formidable
clutter Of them for a long time,
but the New Deal has created more
and more Of them. These agencies
make rulings that effect the inter-
ests of many businesses and in
dustries Frequently these busi-
nesses and industries consider that
they're adversely effected. but they
can't do anything about it; the
agencies ukases are final. The
Walter-Logan bill, sponsored by
the late Senator Marvel NJ Logan
Of Kentucky and by Representative
Francis E. Walter of Pennsylvania,
was designed to permit complain
ants to appeal from the agencies
to the courts.
Unpopular at White House
Such right Of appeal necessa-
rily would limit the executive
agencies authority. Consequently
executive authority chat is to say.
at the fountainhead. the president)
didn't like the idea.
Before the issue had had time to
be much discussed the senate
passed the bill unanimously. Then,
the representatives not yet having
considered 1t, a row was raised
over it and the senators decided
to take back their initial unani-
nous decision and go into the mat
ter more deeply A hot fight fol-
lowed. Ultimately the senate
passed the thing again, but only
skimpily. not unanimously, on the
second occasion. The representa-
tives passed it more literally.
1t went to the White House and
President Roosevelt vetoed it
It's supporters tried to get II re-
passed over this veto, by a two
thirds representatorial majority, as
required to override a veto. There
was a very scanty attendance Of
members-only $50 out of the
houses total personnel of 435. And
the necessary two-thirds. TO over
ride, was lacking. There was no
use in going on up to the senate.
the attempt to override having
failed in the lower chamber. For
that matter, there was no hope Of
an overriding vote in the senate
anyway.
Bill in Discard
Thus the bill went into the dis
card, though 1t may be reintro-
duced in the nth congress
But the point is that, while that
bill didn't get two-thirds major
ity Of the representatives full
house membership, 1t did get quite
a liberal overriding majority Of
those present. 1t got Is to 1877.
Overriding Republicans num-
bered ia. with only two G. o. P.
dissenters Overriding Democrats
numbered &c. Anti-over-riding
Democrats numbered 1913, plus
those two dissenting Republicans,
an American-Laborite and Pro-
gressive
That is to say. the Republicans.