OCR Text |
Show branch this independence is practically complete though appointive power is reserved to the president and confirming power to the senate. There is a large degree of cooperation demanded demand-ed by the legislative and the executive, but not nearly so much as Congressman Maverick would have. At first blush there is a great deal to be said in favor of his proposed departure but it is a departure, and its merits ought not to be deter-mined deter-mined by a first judgment. Would it destroy the original objectives of the three-branch system, the system of checks and balances, or would it merely serve to keep congress better informed . regarding the activities of the executive departments depart-ments and shape governmental policies to better carry out the will of the people? Must it involve a constitutional amendment or might legislation cover the innovation? If the former, the people would want a long time to weigh the matter, even if only on the principle of "leave the constitution constitu-tion alone." If an enactment would suffice, they might be agreeable to a short trial, and if it worked out there might be no demand for repeal of the law. But would it centralize responsibility or diffuse it to such a degree that an administration's administra-tion's responsibility could not be fixed at all? Maverick has, at least, given the country something rather important to think about We should not conclude that because it has worked -trr England It will wtiik-tieie. WpgnraT-pccmiar people. It might not work out so well on that account and also because American politics is peculiar. So let's think this over. Maverick At It Again WHEN the Lone Star state sent Maury Maverick Mav-erick to the U. S. congress it assured itself that Texas and its congressman would both get a full share plus of news and comment in the public pub-lic prints. Maverick was an exhibitionist who carried hia own scenery with him and beyond all dispute was wired for sound. Clowning seemed to be hia forte but it ia legend in the show business that funny men must have brains. The fact that this man was a great success in buffoonery buf-foonery rather proved the rule. Behind hia quips, usually it was not difficult to discover the substance of sound thinking even though many disagreed with him. While congress was in adjournment. ad-journment. Maverick's thinking was not lost to the world for his book carried on for him, and in the field of non-fiction was widely popular reading matter. Moreover, it has seemed to tone him down, to make him less picturesque, but not less interesting. Just now he is pressing a pet idea new for us, but old and effective in the British parliamentary parlia-mentary scheme. It ia probably true that in the beginnings, the president's cabinet was in mind as group of select men as presidential advisors. It came about, though, that executive and administrative admin-istrative functions became their first preoccupation. preoccupa-tion. By now, largely by virtue ot very wide delegations of power by congress, the cabinet has almost become a fourth branch ot government, govern-ment, or, possibly, an additional ten separate departments, de-partments, despite that they must report to the president Maverick would change all this. In the interest of providing congress with first-hand information and to fix greater re-aponsbility re-aponsbility upon the members of the president' official family. Maverick proposes that cabinet officers not only be given the right of debate on the floor of either house, but that they be required re-quired also to appear before congress while it is in aession to be questioned from the floor by the members of congress. To the legislative, the executive and the judicial ju-dicial branches the constitution confers a very large measure of independence. To the judicial |