Evening star., 1949-07-17
Party
Control Over
CongressUrged
CONGRESS ON TRIAL
BY James M. Burns. (Harper &
Bros; 49,
Reviewed by
JERRY O'LEARY.

The author of this latest book on
what ails Congress has crowded
into 200-odd pages a wealth of
information on how the lawmaking
body and the White House have
functioned in attempting to shape
national policies since the founda-
ton of the Government.
His basic conclusion appears to
be that far-reaching changes in
the political machinery are needed
because stalemate and conflict Is
inevitable between a President who
is elected by the Nation and a
Congress whose members owe their
political lives to only one segment
of the population-the voters in
their respective States and districts.
Mr.. Burns. a former legislative
assistant to a member of Congress.
pictures the difficulty members of
the House and Senate face in try
ing to think In national terms be-
cause Of pressure from the groups
that dominate their particular
localities. Presidential candidates,
on the other hand, may look to the
entire electorate. he points out.
The Root Of Evil Retained.
The author calls this dependence
of the Senator and Representative
on State and locality for his polit-
ical existence the root evil that
allows the other evils to flourish" !"
But he does not propose to do
away with this method Of electing
the lawmaking branch. He. there
fore, concludes that no reorgan-
ization of Congress can alter the
effectiveness of pressure groups.
He has a solution to offer. how
ever, and it's unfolding is by far
the most interesting part of the
book. He proposes an overhauling
of the major political parties to
obtain responsible party govern
ment.
He would build up strong party
leadership at the national COM
mittee level, and enable these par
ty leaders to veto policies of State
and local organizations inconsist-
ent with the national platform. He
suggests stronger party discipline
against those who use party label
to win Office, and then ignore the
platform. He proposes annual ma
tional conventions to keep each
party abreast of current problems.
instead OF meeting every fourth
year to nominate a ticket.
Might Help Party in Power.
This reviewer can see how these
might bring some improvement
for the party in power. But what
would it accomplish for the party
trying to get in at the next cleo
ton? The party in power has an
automatic leader in the White
House, and If he had the kind OF
national party council Mr.. Burns
envisions-composed of leaders In
Congress and the administration
he could no doubt get closer to re-
sponsible party government. OF
course, it would still be highly
questionable whether the voters
in congressional districts would
expect any lesser degree Of de-
votion to home interests from
those they elect to Congress.
To get back to the minority par
ty on the outside looking in. How
could it get any closer to strong.
centralized policy with half
dozen Of its most promising presi-
Dental candidates quietly working
for the party nomination. two or
three years hence, and each with
a following down through the
party ranks?
Regardless Of whether one
agrees with the authors criticisms
of Congress as 1t now functions.
or with his remedies, students Of
will find the book
thought-provoking. Mr.. Burns is
assistant professor Of political SCI
ence at Williams College.