Evening star., 1945-06-09
Change Urged in Law
On Death of President
Congress Has Power to Keep
Office Elective, Says Writer
By David Laurence

Office Elective, Says Writer
By David Laurence
Within few weeks, President Tru-
man will leave the United States to
meet Prime Minister Churchill and
Marshal Stain. Where they will meet
has not been announced but appar-
emily it will be somewhere on the con-
tinent of Europe.
Although the armed services will take
the best of care and will protect to
their utmost the safety of the Presi-
dent, accidents can happen to ships and
planes. The man who would in that
event become President of the United
States is Secretary of State stettinius.
There today is no Vice President. This
Is as well known to members of Con-
gress as to citizens generally. Yet not
single effort has been made in either
the House or the Senate to amend the
presidential succession law other than
to introduce a few bills.
There is no need to amend the Con-
stitution. The power to act resides in
Congress. A measure changing the
presidential succession law could be
passed without much difficulty, for al
most all members of Congress feel that
some elective rather than appointive
officer should be in line for the presi-
dency when there is no Vice President.
All that Congress needs to do is to
provide that the Secretary of State
act as an Interim President until Con-
gress selects a successor for the unex-
pired term of President when there Is
vacancy in the Office of Vice Presi-
dent. The method that can be pre-
scribed for the process of selection
would, of course, have to be written
into the new law
Statute Until 1886.
The old statute which was in effect
from the beginning of the republic until
1886 provided that the presiding officer
of the Senate and then the Speaker Of
the House should succeed. Recently Sen
ator Willis of Indiana proposed that
the House of Representatives should in
these circumstances choose a President
u.
DO when no candidate receives a ma
jority in the electoral college in a
regular election.
There is no reason why Congress- II
it desired, could not follow the practice
which prevails when a vacancy occurs
in the Senate. A temporary appoint
ment usually is made and the vacancy
for the unexpired term is filled in either
special election or on the next regular
election day.
The subject is one that is getting
widespread attention and no consider
alton of delicacy should prevent Con-
gress from acting before President Tru-
man leaves the United States. The
speculation is that the Big Three may
meet in Berlin. This means that the
conference might be held somewhere
near the capital of defeated Germany,
perhaps under military auspices. This,
however, hardly affords the facilities for
the ADVISERS who will have to go along.
Stockholm Meeting Urged.
1t may be, of course that Marshal
Stain will insist that the meeting be
held on Russian territory once more.
1t is hoped here that some neutral
place will be selected, which can be the
meeting place also of Secretaries Of
State or other Allied representatives
who must work out the peace settle
ments. Such a place might we'll be
Stockholm, which has the facilities for
Big Three meeting and is acces-
sible by ship direct from the United
States. Communication between Stock
holm and other capitals is excellent.
Sweden is near enough for Marshal
Stain to visit without being away from
| Moscow too long
The American and British navies
| could escort Prime Minister Churchill
and President Truman in European
! waters and the journey would be rea
sonably safe, though the presence OF
floating mines constitutes a hazard in
the waters too near Germany. A land
ing could better be made in Norway
and the rest of the journey made by
train.
Meanwhile, members of Congress are
| oeeiiiiiAAs W IaAh VI Tile lISI absence
OF President Truman from the country
and they hope that he will not be away
for long Journeys such as his predeces.
sor felt it necessary to take because
of military planning. With the wa,
in Europe ended, 1t would seem that
Mr.. Truman could appoint group oi
capable diplomatic representatives tc
carry on the business of the United
States Government so that the need for
first-hand presidential diplomacy would
be reduced to the minimum.
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