Two to Go

Not since the Constitution was drafted 180 years ago have the states asserted their right to call a convention to change it. All 25 amendments have been initiated by Congress, not the states. Now, to just about everyone's surprise, the states are on the threshold of calling a convention on an amendment that would overturn the Supreme Court's one-man, one-vote rule.

The campaign to call the convention has been spearheaded without fanfare by Republican Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen ever since his attempt to upset the court's reapportionment ruling was defeated in Congress 19 months ago. With endorsement required from two-thirds (34) of the states, Illinois and Colorado last week brought the number of states that have passed amendment resolutions up to 32.

It may be a while, however, before the threshold is crossed. Only one other state--Iowa--is now considering the resolution. Even if two more join the parade, no one seems sure what would happen next. The Constitution says nothing about how soon a convention should be called after the two-thirds mark is reached or how delegates should be chosen. It does not even indicate whether the delegates are restricted to considering one amendment, or free to take action on a whole raft of them.

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