If President Truman should die in office, his successor would be the Secretary of State, under the Presidential Act of 1886. The fact that as of today that man would be young, enthusiastic Ed Stettinius, had only an incidental meaning to many a U.S. citizen.
Last week an old White House adviser criticized the Act itself, urged that something be done about it. Said James A. Farley, onetime Democratic National Chairman: "Under our present method, a Vice President who succeeds to the Presidency is in the unique position of being able to choose his own successor—without reference to the electorate."
Actually none of...