The Congress: Don't Call Us; We Won't Call You

"Mr. Powell does not present himself," intoned his attorney last week, "until it is determined that Congress is ready to swear him in." The House of Representatives was never less ready to seat Adam Clayton Powell, despite his re-election in Harlem April 11 by a 7 to 1 margin. Arizona Democrat Morris Udall, one of those urging Powell's reinstatement, conceded: "There are fewer votes for him now than there were on March 1," when his peers voted overwhelmingly to bar him during the life of the 90th Congress.

For his part, Powell obviously has no stomach for another public trouncing. Instead, he is betting that federal court intervention will ultimately restore his seat. The trouble with this strategy is that the House is adamant in its denial of court jurisdiction over the case. So, for the time being, Powell r. the House of Representatives remains a standoff. That might just be the perfect permanent solution—for everyone but his constituents.