He foresees possible reforms of the present system which would mix the legislative and executive functions in more of a parliamentary direction. Whatever changes are made, Harrington thinks it is essential that the process be responsive to the needs of the consumer and not to the "large almost ungovernable institutions like organized labor and major business which don't know any particular restraints or restrictions."

The average man, says Harrington, has a "feeling of total helplessness" in trying to get relief or response from the government in dealing with the large organizations.

Harrington is an outspoken critic of the Congress, and he claims that its worst failing is that it "gives too much deference to the executive."

"The tendency seems to be let's duck it if it's tough and let the president take it on. Many situations would be better handled if the legislature took a strong policy position."

He sees the major weaknesses of the Congress as rooted in the committee and seniority systems which "tend to produce narrow and inward looking" congressmen who are only interested in advancing in the internal power structure and not interested in the nation's problems.

Harrington has served on three committees during his five years in the House, and he has found in each case that the chairman of the committee tends to dominate the preceedings. "Cosmetically there is democracy in committees, but practically there is very little."

Modifications such as better sources of information independent of the executive and better staffing and organization of committees could improve the situation, Harrington says, but he sees little true reform coming from inside the Congress.

Despite all his skepticism in other matters, Harrington believes that there "was an absolute shortage" of oil in past months. He thinks that the cause of the problem was that the government allowed the oil companies to dominate our energy policy, a situation which he hopes will change drastically. He says there was not any "effort to put together a world-wide rip-off by the oil companies--they aren't that sophisticated."

Harrington is concerned about gun control and he has recently filed a bill in the House to prohibit and confiscate all handguns, with exceptions for law enforcement officials and a few other groups. He sees chances for approval in the judiciary committee as good, but is less optimistic about the possibilities in Congress unless it receives executive support.

Harrington has been re-elected to Congress by strong pluralities since his victory in a special election in 1969. Ironically in 1970 he defeated Howard Phillips whom Nixon later picked to dismantle the Office of Economic Opportunity.

Harrington's re-election to the House is virtually assured this fall, and he has already set his sights on replacing Sen. Edward M. Kennedy '54 (D-Mass.) if Kennedy decides to seek the presidency in 1976.

For now Harrington is concerned with the difficult task of restoring credibility to the government.

"It isn't just the winter of discontent of 1974. It's more fundamental than getting more gas into the tanks and more jobs: That will help, but the core disapproval and cynicism just won't go away that easily."