The Key West citizen., 1952-11-11


sidential election. The election of
1856 / mean.
am introducing legislation in
January which will have the effect
of putting national elections more
firmly in the hands of the people.
This Is my legislative program:
"a Provide for a nationwide pre-,
sidential nominating primary. (2)
Revision of the Electoral College
system so that people would vote
directly for the president rather
than electors, and establishment of
q system whereby popular vote Of
each state would count in total
vote cast for a candidate for pre-
sIdent. (3) Provide for an election
IN "off years" of successors to
the president serving, in event of
his death or disqualification, with
the vice president serving only un-
til the next general election. (4)
Holding of the quadrennial election
over a period of three days, in
stead of single Election Day as
at present.
Most people are familiar with
my National Primary Bill which
proposes selection of the party
nominees by the people, instead
of a handful of convention manipu-
lators. Related to that is the pro-
posal to give proportionate repre-
sentation in the Electoral College
based on popular vote to each can
didate, thus providing some insur-
ance against a president being
elected with the necessary electoral
vote but without a majority vote.
My proposal to alter the vice
presidents role would bring the
office of president closer to the
people. AS it is now, the attention
of the people is directed toward
the presidential candidate, and be-
fore accepting his understudy in
a long time White House role, it
would be we'll to have new look
at him, hear his views and pro-
posals, and give the people a
chance to approve or disapprOve
him for the bigger job. | think
we would have been better off,
under such a program in the past.
History is not too kind to many
vice presidents who have been
stepped up by tragedy into the
Chief Executives responsibilities.
/ am confident that we would have
a great many more active voters
il there were more than one day
to cast ballots. | saw many very
long, tedious lines in front Of poll
ing places last Tuesday and | sure
that many we're discouraged from
voting by the long wait necessary.
Many others probably didn't vote
because of sudden emergencies.
You can imagine the result in
Florida should a bad hurricane hit
on election day. Yet there is no
real advantage in having this
important election day held only
on one day. This is at least
matter of good discussion!
Notes From Capitol Hill
One of the unhappy results Of
Republican control of the Senate
in the S3rd Congress will be the
loss of several of my staff who
have been on patronage" jobs
The rest of us will have to work
that much harder to keep up the
record of efficiency upon which so
many have complimented us.
/ wrote casually last week about
moving TO better office quarters
and 10 more important com
mittee, both of which are at the
moment unlikely; that will depend
upon how generous a policy the
Republicans adopt. Democratic
Leader Mcfarland. who visited
Florida several times and has
many friends there, was defeated
and may be succeeded by Senator
Lyndon Johnson. of Texas as Demo
cratic Leader; Lydon. who is
good friend of mine, has made
remarkably fine record in the
Senate as Chairman of Special
Preparedness Investigating Com.
mittee which dug up much evi.
dence Of waste in the military.
l have heard some talk that Texas
political leaders, who helped take
their state in the Republican
column, expect Senator elect Price
Daniels. elected on the Eisenhov
er ticket. to be in line for Repub.
liesn fayorS, even if he does not
actually sit on the COP side in
the Senate / am looking for
ward 20 welcoming to the Senate
two fine and true friends Of long
standing, Jack Kennedy 0t Mass.
achuSettS and Stuart Symington Of
Missouri, Jack is a part time
Floridian and his father. AmbaSSa-
dor Joe Kennedy has a home at
Palm Beach "Stn" Symington has
one Of the outstanding records Of
anybody in Washington for skilled
and unSelh>h government service.
Hes a fine golfer. After the elec.
tion, my Bible got into 10, ot
use around the office. Jane Monk
has every body reading Romans
S;2S. Try il.
--------'-=------a~-=----