Friday. February 23

SCARLET AND BLACK

 

MncGregor lauds Congressional Output;
Strout Weighs Procedural Inadequncies

By Glen Ashmon

Robert Strout, Washington
correspondent for the Christian
Science Mani-
tor, delivered
the first formal
lecture in the
Student Sym-
posium session
dealing with
The Legislative
last Thursday
evening in Her-
rick Chapel. His
t a l k, “What's
W r0 n g with
Congress," smouT
dealt primarily with the proced-
ural inadequacies of the Na~
tional Legislature.

Strout pointed out that “safe-
ty (checks and balances) was
built into the Congress, not ef~
ficiency." He singled out the
seniority rule for choosing con-
gressional committee chairmen
and the Senate filibuster rule
for critical examination.

“America is the only state
that recognizes longevity rather
than ability in choosing its
legislative leaders. The aver-
age age of committee chairmen
is 76 years. Besides this, com~
mittee chairmen are often op-
posed to the legislation they are
to consider; as a result, a
single man can prevent a majbr
presidential bill from ever be»
ing considered.”

According to Strout, the Sen-
ate filibuster rule ranks high
among congressional ineffici-
encies. Because of this rule
there is a danger that the gov-
ernment cannot govern. Strout
said that‘southerners and sena-
tors from small states reap the
most advantage from the rule.
Consequently, it is usually im»
possible to obtain a two—thirds
majority to envoke cloture.

Strout further criticized Con-
gress on the following points:

1. Congress has opposed elec<
tronic voting which would con-
siderably speedup legislative
procedure in the two cham»
bers.

2. Congress has failed to act
on redistricting, though repeat-
edly asked to do so. This bur-
den, therefore, has fallen on the
courts. _

3. Congress has allowed many
of its powers to be eroded by
courts and the White House be-
cause of inaction.

4. Congress has allowed new
representatives too little time

p to adjust. Consequently, the
term of office for a congress-
man should be extended to four
years.

5. Congress has never come
up with an adequate system of
budget control.

Strout suggested the need to
reassemble and centralize the
powers of various congression—
al committees. He further ad-
vocated the adoption of a pro—
cedure that will at least assure
voting on top" priority presi»
dential bills.

ESE

Regular church services will
be held Sunday at 11:30 em. in
Herrick Chapel. Dr. Winston L.
King will give the sermon.

IE

Chapel.

, sixth in a series '

 

By Susan Taylor

“What’s right with congress
iar outweighs What’s wrong
with Congress," .

C o n g ressman
Clark MacGreg<
or (R - Minn.)
said in a speech
Friday morning
in H e r r'i c k g,
Speak-
ing on the topic
“What’s Wrong
With Congress,"
he wa s the .

of s p e a k erg Mueenrson
brought to the campus by the
Student Symposium, “The
Democratic Process in an Era
of Crisis.”

He asserted that the truth
about Congress lies somewhere
between the expressed belief of
President Johnson in the ability
of Congress, and the statement
of Representative Richard Boll-
ing (D—Mo.) that Congress is
not visible under its present
structure. This truth, MacGreg-
or said, “can best be found
through an analysis of party re-
sponsibility.”

He listed some things that he
said were right about the first
session oi the 88th Congress:
the passage of the “bricks and
mortar provision" for higher
education and other education
measures, which were followed
by appropriations to carry
them out; "the willingness of
Congress to remain in session
111/; months”; the hard work
the Congress djdveven though
it might not have been evident
since much of it was done in
committee.

As an example of the last
point, he traced the develop
ment of the Civil Rights bill in
the House—especially in the
Judiciary committee, of which
he is a member. “In the field
of civil rights,’ this Congress
can hold its head high so far,”
he said. '

MacGregor cited the work
done by individual members of
Congress in formulating pro-
posals to improve the legisla-
tive body. This kind of think-
ing, he said, was also right
about Congress, l-l listed some
proposals or indi dual mem-
ber's of the House:

1. that the Rules Committee
be limited to 21 days in consid-
eration of a bill coming to it
from a legislative Committee.

2. that a joint committee on
the budget be established.

it that a committee to rec-
ommend specific reorganiza-
tional structural changes be
established.

4. the publication of public
funds expended by members
of Congress.

5. some members have taken
the lead in disclosing their own
personal holdings so that any
conﬂict of interests can be
seen.

Criticism. he said. must be
informed and responsible, and
it must consider the responsi-
bilities of the parties. “No
legislative body in a free gov-
ernment anywhere in th e
world," he said, allows the av-
erage citizen to have his pres-
ence felt as does the Congress
of the United States."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page Five

The sing g nuns of Meurs Hell supported Open-Open Cells" and waved their virtuous ban-
ners in favor of Hallelujah Hannah and her 69 varieties of Galloping Purimnlsm at the Stu-
dent Government convention last Saturday afternoon in Derby Gym. t

 

} SGA Convention

Continued from Page 3
votes were one for ANCLU, its
slogan of the year, and one for
order followed by two in favor
of chaos.

North Younker, in »a remini5<

cent mood, cast votes in mem-
ory of its own Dwayne Frank»

house, Scurvy Orvie, Al Boston,
and Rich Orr—who went on
to capture a full 146 votes in the
second ballot. They also dedi-
cated a pointed 0 votes to the
Academic Standing Committee.
Read hall cast its votes along
its theme as the “Slumber par-
ty," and Smith brought gales
of laughter with its vote dedi-

cated to the proposition that
Winston King publish a new
Dictionary of American Slang.

After changing from their

costumes and eating dinner, the
delegates became intent on thv
real business of the convention.
and Jim Parkison and Phil
Johnson emerged as the chosen
candidates after four ballots.

 

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