The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1961-01-17
John Temple Groves
INFLICTED Few Mock Constitution

given to the University if it is
inlegrated under Federal order.
Perhaps this is the only way
but thus far the governor is Sun
rendering. not resisting.
INTERESTINGLY WALTER
LIPPMAN points out that ma
jOrlty rule is out of the very
nature of the House of RepreSen-
tatives but not the Senate. The
House represents people. the SEN
ate political units with only two
senators for each unit regard
less of population. There are
various kinds Of nlajorities in the
Senate, and Mr.. Lippman says
their recognition is deeply en-
bedded in the Constitution.
Simply 81 per cent is required
for some things, two thirds for
others. He might add that still
others require unanimous con-
sent.
In my views" he Well-says fhe
has said it often before), 1T is
vital to our liberties to preserve
the principle that for great issues
effect deeply great regions or
sections of the nation, there
should be required more than a
simple majority. For we must
never forget that majorities are
not always liberal and that they
may be tyrannical :"
Amen and amen! In effect.
Liberal Lippmann signs UP with
John c. Calhoun. Calhouns Doc
trine of Concurrent Majorities
was nothing more than recog-
milton of this same fact that
where something is vital to a
region or part of the oeple and
only casual to others, mathe-
NAUTICAL majority isn't enough.
The people vitality involved
should have some recognition of
their own majority.
BUT IN WHAT MIR. LIPP-
MANN says against alleged vio-
lation of majority rule in the
House by its Rules Committee he
overloOks the fact that a ma
jority of the House can force a
bill out of the Committee, and
that a majority of the Commit
tee can force the chairman to let
a bill be brought up.
Human Events points out that
alleged obstruction of majority
rule" by Chairman Smith and
the House Rules Committee is
no such thing. After a bill has
been held without action for
seven days by the Committee,
any Representative can file a dis
charge petition to bring the bill
onto the floor for a vote. The
signatures of a simple majority
of the House members will get
the bill moving" Against the
charge that Chairman Smith re-
fuses to call meetings for con-
sideration Of certain legislation,
Human Events points out that
1.-THE majority of the Committee
can call it UP themselves. seven
days after having requested the
chairman to do so.
THE RULES COMMITTEE,
says this newsletter, does blunt
the effectiveness of powerful
special interest Hobbies who
often have an easy time exert
ing pressure on freshmen Con
gressmen and those from mar
ginal districts.
\ Speaker Rayburn used to de-
fend the Committee in just these
/ terms. But suddenly he has seen
a great light, or something.
So indicated is some sort of
Presidential electoral reform that
thousands of plans are offered
The number can be reduced radi-
cally by eliminating all which
seemingly like Senator Mans
field. call for a straight popular
vote. Those who propose that
know too little about this nation,
its Constitution. way and ideal,
to have any proposals consider
ed. The genius of the American
system is representation partly
by population but partly too, by
political and geographical unit.