Evening star., 1947-07-11
President Expected
To Sign Bill Placing
Speaker Next in Line

Only President Truman's sigma
ture was needed today to place q
Republican in line as his successor
should the President fail to finish
his present term.
Mr.. Truman's approval Of the
measure is considered certain since
he asked Congress for a bill In 1945
and again this year.
The legislation. passed yesterday
by 365-11 House vote, puts Speak
er Martin next in line for the presi-
dency The Senate passed the bill
June AZ.
The legislation would apply not
only to the present situation but to
the future as well.
1t provides that the House Speaker
shall rank behind the Vice President
in the line Of succession, followed
by the acting president of the Sen
ate "a Senator who presides over
that body when there Is no Vice
President) and then the 10 cabinet
officers.
1886 Law Is Now in Effect.
Under an 1886 law now In effect,
the cabinet officers rank next to
the Vice President, starting with
the Secretary of State.
Before the 1885 Act, the president
pro tenn of the Senate and then
the House Speaker were next in line.
The new proposal provides that
the acting president of the Senate
(now Senator Vandenberg, Repub-
lican, of Michigan) would move into
the picture only If there were no
Speaker or If the Speaker were un-
able to qualify Che would have to
have the same qualifications as the
President).
In either case, the Presidents
successor would fill out the unex-
pired term unless an elected Presi-
dent or Vice President who had
failed to qualify subsequently re-
moved the disqualification.
However, a cabinet officer acting
as President would step down if q
Speaker or president pro tenn later
: qualified.
Chairman Michener of the Judici-
ary Committee told the House that
President Truman lis to be COM
plimented' for having advocated the
legislation at a time when the
Speaker is member of the opposite
political party.
He still stood by his principle, ="
Mr.. Michener said. recalling that
when Mr.. Truman first asked for
the law. Democrat, Sam Rayburn
of Texas, was Speaker.
Suggests Truman Use Care,
1--WE express the hope that he
(Mr. TrumanD may live out his full
term" said Representative Robsion,
Republican, of Kentucky.
Representative Celler, Democrat,
Of New York expressed similar senti-
ments and said Our present Presi-
dent should be mighty careful In
bis travels"
Mr.. Celler told the House there
probably never will be an occasion
to use the legislation. There have
been IS vice presidential vacancies,
he recalled, but no cabinet officer
ever has been called upon to fill the
presidency because of a vacancy in
both Offices.
Representative Gwynne, Republi-
can, of Iowa, opposed the bill and
called for a study of the entire
succession problem by Congress. The
chances of the bill being needed. he
said, are about 1000 to I.
When the President asked for the
legislation, he said he believed a
person representing the voters
should be next in line for the presi-
dency after the Vice President. The
Speaker, chosen by the ABS Repre-
sentatives, was the most representa-
tive. he added.
The President said he opposed the
old law which in effect allowed the
: President to name his own successor
in an emergency through his power
to appoint cabinet officers.
!, Ten Democrats and one Repubi-
can, Gwynne of Iowa, voted against
the bill. The Democrats are Aber-
nethy of Mississippi. Bulwinkle of
North Carolina, Camp of Georgia,
Harrison of Virginia, Madden of In
diana, OToole of New York. Rankin
of Mississippi, Stanley of Virginia.
Whitten of Mississippi and Winstead
of MiSSisSippi.