U.S. ELECTIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 116, 12 November 1938, Page 8

U.S. ELECTIONS

MEANING OF RESULTS

AN AMERICAN'S EXPLANATION

PRESIDENT'S POSITION

(Specially Written for "The Post")

By James E. Alexander.

[Mr. Alexander is an American newspaperman of the "Pittsburgh Press," formerly of the "Akron Beacon Journal," and is visiting New Zealand.] The elections this week in the United States of America have provided interesting news to New Zealanders, but interpretations of the results have varied so much that confusion has resulted. Some dispatches indicate that President Roosevelt suffered great losses "but retained his position." Others claim the election shows he is losing in popularity, while still others say the results do not reflect sentiment concerning him., Much of this confusion results in the differences between the American system of government and the English system. While reading of American election results, do not attempt to compare the happenings with the equivalent in New Zealand or England. The American system of government is composed of separate and distinct unite with some powers centred in the Federal Government, some in the States, and others in the cities, counties, and other bodies politic. Elections are held every year, with voters marking ballots for different systems. Ofttimes in a Presidential election year voters are issued as many as a dozen ballots, some Federal, others State, and others from sundry groups. State Governors and \State representatives are elected individually in each of the 48 States and are not under the supervision of the Federal officials., So far as the rights of the 48 States are concerned, each can control its own dominion, and the Federal Government operates only where the communities as a whole are affected. THE AMERICAN SYSTEM. Imagine if you can the New Zealand Government divided as the American system is. The country would be divided into separate States, each with governing powers over its own territory. For example, the district around Dunedin could be called the "State of Dunedin" and could levy taxes, have its own police, build its own roads, etc., without interference from the Federal Government at Wellington. Only when matters affecting the "States" as a whole were concerned, such as fixing import duties^ for foreign goods, would the Wellington Government assume command. With this example in mind a comparison can be drawn. ■_~,_,. In this election in the United States the Republicans gained 10 governorships over the Democrats/ These two major parties are similar to the Labour -Party and the National Party, the Democrats, now in power, being more like the Labour Party and the Republican Party being" more like the National Party. . Since the Republicans have gained 10 governorships, it is just as \f the "states" of Dunedin, Taupo, Bluff, and. seven others would elect as the governor" for themselves a National man. Such a result would have very little effect on the Federal Government in Wellington, which would hold elections of its own. "Similarly, the fact that 10 American ' States "went" Republican has little effect on the policy of the American Federal Government nor on Mr. Roosevelt, except as the men running for governor might be his personal friends or party companions. States which have for years been Republican strbngholds have returned to the fold after- electing Democratic governors in the elections two years ago. One of the strongest of these is Pennsylvania, an industrial and mining State, with the two large cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and a population exceeded by only a few other States. lowa, Massachusetts, Kansas, and Rhode Island were other Republican strongholds which returned to Republican governors. Until the last election, Pennsylvania had never had a Democratic governor since about 1860. New York returned a Democratic governor, while populous California replaced the Republican with a Democrat. BALANCED CONSTITUTION. The American Federal Government is composed of three equally powerful groups: the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial, each of the three retaining powers not granted to the others. The Supreme Court and other Federal Courts, dealing with Federal offences, is the judicial branch, interprets the Constitution, and otherwise judges under laws set up by the legislative branch. The executive branch is composed of the President and his Cabinet.' It is his job to be the policeman, to enforce the laws of the land. He is not selected as is the New Zealand Prime Minister. The President of the United States is elected by vote of the people for the position of President and nothing else. He selects.,for his Cabinet of ten any persons he wishes. They are never selected from among the men elected to other offices. Often they are not political figures but wellversed along certain lines. A hasty example would be the selection by former President Herbert Hoover for Secretary of the Treasury of an internationally prominent banker, Andrew Mellon, who was not a politician in any sense of the word. The third branch of the Government is the- legislative, made up of two Houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives, usually known as Congress. When the American Government was being formed the question arose as to how the legislative—the law-mak-ing branch —should be selected. Those from the more populous States, such as New York and Pennsylvania, wanted a representative selected according to population, say a representative for each 10,000 persons. The less thickly populated States (at the time), such as Georgia and Rhode Island, said, "No. Let's elect two from each State." A compromise was agreed upon. Two bodies were established. The Senate is composed- of two members from each State regardless of population. Congress is composed; of representatives from the States elected according to population, some States having but one and others having many. To balance the power between the two another scheme was set up. A Bill, a suggested law, may arise in either body and may finally be passed by that body. Then it is sent to the other body to be passed by that group. Sometimes it is returned and revised and then passes both bodies. Power of veto of any Bill is given to the president, which suggests he has power over the two bodies, but they may pass a Bill over his veto by a sufficient vote. The President often suggests Bills to

the different Houses. These Bills are usually introduced by active party members but may never pass. PRESIDENT FOR ALL THAT. ■ An interpretation which has grown out of the election results, particularly since it followed so closely on the New Zealand election, was that the President could have been "unseated" by the result if the Republicans had gained enough seats in the Houses. Such is definitely not the case. President Roosevelt was elected to serve until January 1, 1940, and unless impeached he cannot be removed until then. At times the legislative bodies have been predominantly Democratic and the President a Republican, and vice versa. Such a thing is impossible under the New Zealand system. Senators are elected for six years! and one-third of them are up for reelection every second year. Not more than one-third of the Senate can be i replaced at one time, a thing which leads to stability in that branch of government. Regardless of* the "large gains of the Republicans" claimed in New Zealand papers, the fact remains that the Democratic Party, which has been in power since 1932 and of which President Roosevelt, because he is President, is the so-called leader, definitely remains in power and may further pursue the New Deal legislation it has proposed.. In case that is questioned, glance at the unofficial standing of the legislative branches when they meet in I January. Congress will have 252 Dejmocratic members and all other parties —Republicans, Progressives, Independents, and Farmer-Labourites— will have 169. In the Senate the Democrats will have 67 seats to all others' 29.