Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-02-15
The Political Mill
CeIIer Redistrictinq Bill
Faces Bitter House Fight
Reform Would Put Stotes
On Notice in Elections
By Gould Lincoln

The Truman administration, with the
aid of Chairman Celler Of the House
Judiciary Committee, is seeking to put
burr under the tails of the State legisla-
lures which fail to eliminate what Mr..
Celler refers to as rotten borough" con.
gressional districts, before the 1852 elec-
tons. A bill prepared by Mr.. Celler calls
on the States to 'redistrict" in such
way that their respective districts will
have approximately the same numbers
Of inhabitants and the territory con-
tanned within district will be compact
and contiguous" The bludgeon In the
bill is a fiat declaration that any State
which fails to carry through this reform
will have its elected members of the
House refused admission to that body
Decidedly, the fur will begin to fly If
and when such bill is brought before
the House. Right off the bat is a violent
dislike on the part of many members Of
Congress to having the Federal Govern.
ment dictate to the States in the matter
Of elections. Next to that is the certainty
that the political powers back home con-
tent with present congressional districts
ing and unwilling to have them disturbed
for reasons of their own, will throw their
influence against such legislation.
Truman Backs Reform.
President Truman himself is said to be
burned up about inequalities in popula-
ton in the congressional districts and
the fanciful way in which some States
have been districted to give either Re-
publican or Democratic advantage when
1t comes to electing Representatives. This
is called "gerrymandering, and has been
practiced by both parties. But particu-
larly is this kind of thing Objectionable
because it gives rural sections of the
country which are inclined to be more
conservative and Republican, an advan-
tage over densely populated areas where
Mr.. Truman expects support for his Fair
Deal program.
The President and Mr.. Celler are ham,
mering away at the need for reform,
calling attention to the fact that in six
States the variation in population be-
tween the largest and smallest districts
exceeds 100000 people. A glaring ex-
ample is found in Ohio, where the popu-
lation of the ed District under the
1850 Census is given as 08,403, and Of
the I'd District as 158,147. The first is
represented in the House by Mrs. Frances
P. Bolton, Republican, and the second
by William E. Hess, also Republican.
The contention is made that citizen Of
the I'd District has several times as
much representation in the House as
has a citizen of the 22d District.
The Celler bill, on which hearings are
expected to start in about 10 days, 10
timed to meet the new census. the popu-
lation figures on which the membership
af %I,o fr L., u
If the membership of the House is to
remain the same-and it is expected to
do so-seven States will gain and nine
States will lose in representation. The
States which will make gain are Cali-
fornia, 7; Florida, 2; Maryland, Michi-
gan, Texas, Virginia and Washington, /
each. The losers are Pennsylvania, 3;
New York, Missouri and Oklahoma, Q
each, and Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky,
Mississippi and Tennessee, each.
Could Increase Membership.
The total membership of the House
could be so increased as to prevent the
loss of seats to any State-but to do SO
the membership would have to be raised
from 435. where it has rested since 1911,
to 500. Members know that every time
the membership of the House is in
creased the influence and power of the
individual member is leSSened. They see,
for example, what has happened to the
House of Commons in Britain and the
Chamber of Deputies in France. The
House of Commons has $40 members
and the Chamber of Deputies more than
zoe. The run-of-the- mine member Of
these bodies is scarcely ever seen or
heard.
Mr.. Celler, New York Democrat, in
sists that he is not actuated by partisan
reasons in pressing for the proposed
reforms in redistricting the States; that,
in fact, his bill should be considered
from non-partisan standpoint and is
intended only to improve republican
form of Government. He knows he has
hard battle ahead of him. He believes,
however, that if a strong public senti-
ment can be aroused, Congress can be
prevailed on to take this action. This
is the first time, as he admits, that 1t
has ever been proposed that Congress
crack the whip over the States in this
matter. He is not only confident that
Congress has the constitutional power to
do this, but he says he believes that Con-
gress can constitutionally redistrict the
States itself, if the States fail to do so In
manner prescribed by Congress. States
where the inequalities are greatest in
congressional districts, he insists, include
those in which no redistricting has been
carried out for long time. Ohio, for
example, has not redistricted since 1913.
and neither has Oklahoma.