SHAKEN OFF.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 19, 24 January 1933, Page 7

SHAKEN OFF.

STAGE COACH ERA.

America Abolishes "Lame Duck" Session.

ESTABLISHED IN 1788. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 11.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, January 23. The "Lame Duck" amendment to the United States . Constitution received thg required ratification of 36 States when the Missouri House of Representatives approved the measure on Monday.

United States politics thereby shook off the grip of the stage coach era with the 20th amendment to the Constitution, which proclaims that henceforth officials defeated at the ballots shall have little voice in government.

In nearly record time, less'than a year, 36 "States have ratified the "Lame Duck" amendment. Congress had taken 10 years to agree upon proposing it.

It will go into effect oil October 15 next, controlling the terms of Congress and the President. Under the amendment a Congress elected in November of any year will meet on January 3, and the President elected in November will take office similarly in January.

Under the existing system established in 1788, in the December after the November elections the old Congress, full of defeated members, comes back and legislates until March 4 when it goes out. The new President takes office on that date.

Unless he calls a special session the new Congress does not meet until December next, 13 months after the election.