Evening star., 1946-01-05
Speech Seen Pointing
To Need of Reform
Writer Proposes Change to Make
Party in Power Responsible
BY David Laurence

BY David Laurence
If the head of the government In
parliamentary country such as England
or Canada or Australia delivered
speech like that which President Tru-
man made this week, there would be a
showdown in which the people could
decide whether they wanted a new ma
tional legislature or a new chief execu-
tive.
What has been called responsible gov
ernment under the parliamentary sys-
tenn takes care of a situation in which
the leader finds himself at odds with
the members of the legislative body.
In fact, under the parliamentary sys-
tenn, the legislative and executive func-
tions are merged so that the people can
decide instantly in case of dispute
which is right or they can compel a
compromise.
When Mr.. Truman confesses that
administration proposals are being held
up in committees of Congress, he is
saying that the Democratic party
which has the majority in both Houses
and which controls all committees and
chooses the chairmen-has ceased to
function as the exponent of the presi-
Dental policies.
New Prime Minister Chosen.
| In many instances the legislature
is right and is closer to public opinion
than the Prime Minister or Premier,
| and when the. election comes-if it is
| necessary-the people express their
| viewpoint and support the existing Par
lament, which means merely that out
of that Parliament a different Prime
Minister is chosen.
Just because a parliamentary form
of government provides for the posi-
bility of an election at any time does
not mean that elections are frequent.
| Often the lack of confidence in chief
| executive is apparent and the parties
| themselves are aware of his weakness.
| Hence the simple expedient of choosing
| new head of government and new
cabinet is sufficient to reflect the will
! of the people.
In this case, who is right? What would
happen if we had parliamentary sys-
tenn? Would the people support the
| Chief Executive and vote the present
| Congress out Of power and elect new
legislators or would the people side with
the Congress and turn the executive out
| in favor of new leader?
The chances are that no such choice
would actually have to be made because
the threat of dissolution of the legisla-
| ture or the possible reputation of the
| executive is enough in most instances
to compel the formulation of positive
policy rather than to permit the contin-
uance of drifting policy.
Congress Can Hold Out.
| Under the American system, the Con-
| gress can hold out for its view and the
I President can stick to his course and
neither side can be held responsible by
the people right away. Mr.. Truman ap-
pealed to the country to write to Con-
gress and press the legislature for action.
But there is to be no election until next
November and the people have no way
to make their will felt instantly on a
specific issue Next Autumn's elections
probably will be fought on number of
issues and, as for the Democratic party,
it controls the solid South so that the
contest there is not between the parties
at all. Only in the primaries could the
voters express themselves as between
| Democrats.
The whole system needs streamining.
Mr. Truman has emphasized the need
of an Army-Navy merger but merger
of Congress and the Executive so as to
make the party in power responsible to
the people, who could overnight turn
out an administration that was falling
down on the job, is far more urgent as
a matter of domestic security than all
the military plans proposed for external
security. This is because the need for
reform in our system is apparent every
day. If Congress is proved right and is
supported next autumn, it will be 1948
before the people can express themselves
as to whether they want to support or
release Mr.. Truman from Office
With problems so acute that the whole
reconversion program is being adversely
affected, it Is a confession of weakness
in our system for a President of the
United States to say he has done all he
could to urge Congress to act and that
he cannot do anything further about it.
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