Show our fur go government jovern vern ment hoalt how it operates by y william bruckauf Bruc karf TO CHANGE inauguration DATE hosea of us whose span poof of life THOSE carries us behind beyo ud the end or of 1035 are almost certain to witness an epochal change in our government after more than ihan years pur gur nation Is about to alter a baste basic date in our system in of government namely the date upon which the terms 0 of our presidents vice presidents and senators and representatives represent athes in congress begin in all probability the change will haven have been ordered in advance of 1036 but it will not take effect until parly early in 1937 this fundamental fundament at revision Is to take place through adoption or ratification by the several states of the so called lame duck D uck amendment to the federal constitution it is the consensus now that its ratification as a part of the organic law Is only it a question of time so in a few years then we will witness the convening of our congress in january of each year for sessions of no fixed duration or life up to one ona year and each four years cewill we will see a president inducted into office in the same month congress now biow meets in december of course but its sessions started in 16 the odd years end automatically on march 4 of the succeeding even year the sessions beginning in december of the even years may run through to the following december it if the legislative body so BO choose the rho new amendment will start the sessions on january 8 3 of every year and they may continue until that date of the next year if the work has not been done in the meantime in the case of the caf cotef ef executive he will take office on january 20 of the year following his election the term of office beginning next march 4 therefore appears certain to be the one break in a steady succession of four year terms for president since the formation foi matlon of our government for it will be reduced by the difference of time from january 20 to march A in order that the succeeding presidential terms may be for four full years the purpose of the amendment Is in the words of its author senator george W norris of nebraska t bring congress closer to the people and there Is not a g great reat deal of disagreement about abou t that it will make congress a body more responsive to the people because senators and representatives who are elected in november aber will talie take office offic eln in just two months thereafter aate those sd wha whua are r e defeated by the electorate will not serve sene again unless perchance a session continues past the date of the election at any rate the the people as expressed at the polls in november can be carried into the halls of congress within two months instead of being delayed as Is the case at present from november of one year to december of the next year considerable research has failed to disclose how the term lame duck had its origin it has long been applied to the unfortunate politician who guessed wrong as to what his constituents wanted and was defeated ile he has served through another session of congress however before surrendering office to a successor while the new amendment will make congress more responsive and closer to the people there Is and probably always will be some lack of unanimity of opinion as aa to its value the school of thought in congress that opposed the amendment felt there was danger that congress con griess would be too responsive to public will that there were such things asa as whims and public demand based upon misinformation and that the present period of delay afforded time for the electo electorate rate to cool or off those who look at both sides side of the question see that danger they recognize it Is ie possible for a majority of the citizens of the republic to be swayed by demagoguery from a raucous minority some act of a foreign nation might possibly engender such steaming hatred just in advance of an election as to chuie cause the selection of a majority of congress willing to aft rush into war or 0 there may be b some domestic issue about which the flames of public sentiment may be fanned with a subsequent action by congress that aliat would be regretted ree retted in later years on the other hand those who fostered the change and who pressed it through congress have contended 60 that this new responsiveness responsIve niss will work both ways it Is their view that senators en and representatives will hear bear from home more quickly than ever before if sentiment swings back from the he point that it re reached riched at the polls plenty of safeguards are said to exist and this observer ls Is inclined to the ibe opinion that they do exist in n force after watching the performance of congresses through more than a decade I 1 hold the conviction that they represent it a rather good cross section of the population that elects them the voters voter snow now and then get one who la Is bettor better than the average and noni now and then put one in boffl ofhie ce who doss does no credit to the district or state from iv which he or she comes but the aver age of anything Is the sum total of all divided by that J number nepie sent athes and senators asi have seen them make up a congress representative of the public which usually therefore fo has had just about abat it is ii willing willin gand and entitled to receive 41 C 1032 union |