Legislature Approves Amendment To Give Governor Four-Year Term

The Massachusetts House and Senate yesterday approved, 244-14, a proposed constitutional amendment extending the terms of future governors and other state officials from two years to four.

They rejected, by a vote of 253 to 1, an amendment to limit legislative sessions to six months.

Longer terms, beginning in 1966, would go to the governor, the lieutenant-governor, the secretary, the treasurer and receiver-general, the attorney-general, and the auditor.

Meeting in joint session, the legislative also adopted measures that would give the authority to request advisory opinions from the state supreme court; to decide when the Commonwealth may give, loan, or pledge its credit; and to continue governmental activity in the event of nuclear attack.

Since identical amendments were passed by a joint session of the last legislature, they will become law if approved by the majority of voters in the November, 1964, election.

The most heated debate of the day came on the question of proroguing the legislative session, which in the past has run as long as January through November. Calling for the overwhelming defeat of the proposed amendment, speakers claimed would "throw the body of Parliamentary procedure to the public to be torn apart and devoured."

Mary B. Newman (R-Cambridge) pointed out that 15 of the last 20 sessions of the legislature had gone beyond June 30, and said the lawmakers would be "kidding the people of the commonwealth" if they set a deadline they could not meet.

Opponents of the extension of executive terms charged that it would lead to a "gestapo" form of government, with the governor able to force his program through the legislature. Supporters of the change said it would permit the development of a program, free of political considerations.

Gov. Endicott Peabody '42 had favored both the amendments that were passed and the one that was defeated. Senate Pres. John E. Powers (D-Boston), who chaired the session, had called the legislative limit "well intentioned," but went no further.