The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-03-30
To End Rivalry
BY ARTHUR KROCK

| BY ARTHUR KROCK
| WASHINGTOS March 29-More voices are
now being raised and more inSistently, thar
at any time in the recent past in behalf of q
better working arrangement between a Presl
dent and Congress. The imminence OF the gra
vest economic and social problems the ma
ton has even known, growing out of the war
and of peace treaties in which each branch OF
| Congress must play part has taken the
discussion out of the category of the academic
| into the neceSSltouS.
| Representative Kefauver of Tennessee has
amplified his original suggestion that Cabinet
members submit to periodic and orderly ques-
tiniong from the floors of Congress- He has
proposed to the committee studying measures
| to improve legislative procedure that the peo-
pie give Congress the power, when a destruc-
tive stalemate exists between the Legislature
and the Executive, to call special election to
resolve the dispute. Others favor more fun
damental change in the Constitution by substl-
tuting the British parliamentary system for
our own. This would make the executive gov
erning ARM as in Great Britain, a part of the
legislative body, constantly dependent on the
support of a congressional majority for contin-
ued tenure in office.
Into this discussion comes the most
original and ingenious suggestion for the sta
blzation of the American Government this
correspondent has seen. The idea is the cen
Government Do the Job?" CReynal - Hitch
cock, by Thomas K Finletter, New York
City attorney who came to grips with the prob
lem of legisat Executive rivalry while an
assistant to former Secretary of State Hull in
the economic division of the department.
His Washington experiences persuaded the
author that something should have been done
long ago by way of constitutional reform in
this field. But he impelled to work out
that som ethinp now for this reaS
During the present war, and in large
part as a result of it, the United States
has taken on new national detectives, for
eign and domestic, of a most difficult char
acter. In foreign affairs we have committed
ourselves to join with other nations in try
ing to do what has never been done before
to create a peaceful world or, if that
seems too Utopian, to reduce much further
than ever before the likelihood of war In
domestic affairs we have determined to
eliminate the violent fluctuations in our
economy which have characterized it to
date, and to provide substantially full and
steady employment, and social economic
and personal security for people.
Noting that both detectives have become the
official designs of both great parties, Mr.. Fin
letter asks whether they can be achieved under
the present Government system. And then he
describes the eternal obstacle in that system
as follows:
strong Presidency is usually followed
by an orthodox administration in which the
balance of powers is respected and a gen.
orally negative government results. Within
each popular-leader administration the pat
tern is similar. At first the honeymoon Pc
riod, when TIE need for action, the undis-
trlbuted patronage, the force of novelty,
and the enthusiasm which strong leader
ship always arouses combine to create
period of great executive power when Con-
gress is temporarily overwhelmed.
The reaction soon comes The patronage
is disbursed, the novelty wears off, and the
dead hand of the Constitutional Convention
OF 1887 makes itself felt Congress reas-
serts ITSELF and strikes back violently to
prove its place in the American system.
The barometer of Presidential power drops
to a low level and stays there until
new popular leader comes to office to use
a new honeymoon period for the hasty
making of great policies.
Even persons who have observed the Gov
eminent for only the past fifteen years will
recognize the accuracy of this account And
the author documents his case profusely. This
brings MN to his plan which he calls IAN
American solution. 1t is in brief that there
be created by and for every President joint
leglslatlVe Executive Cabinet whose leaders, in
the event OF an impasse with Congress or
aiUhs themselves over an important issue,
snaA prlng about dissolution of Congress
ton.
Ihls cabinet says Mr.. Finletter. could be
se' up oy joint resolution of Congress and
a. e1ecutlve order. 1t could be composed of
80. ieaoers from the House and Senate ma
suanues and nine Presidential appointees. 1t
ro,ia.. meet regularly and formulate major
~ Ron'y, domestic and foreign The author of
ara pan would then have the Constitution
diss suea to give the President the right to
sensrs1 congress in deadlock and to call a
&C. election of Cabinet, Congress and Pres
vsa n. 'ail terms to be coeval and for six
The Ss uniess another deadlock developed). If
Cova demonstration ticket won, harmonious
tratio, nnaent would be restored If the Admins
49,, as,on wore defeated, a harmonious Govern
tho H., moulo succeed. Mr.. Finletter points to
Adna ,ast years of the Wilson, Taft and Hoover
to indica .lat,ons to support his proposal and
W 1holca1e the national benefits. N'
cbanaos are other suggested adjustments and
the sn s IN the book But this is the heart ~
dsh. most original contribution ia aro,,,u ~ -
"a'e-NeW York Times eo"e