Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-30
WARNED BY TAWNEY
Statement on Congressional
Situation Issued.
NO MONEY FOR PENSIONS
Payment Depends on Passage Of Cen
eral Deficiency Bill.
EFFECT OF THE F1LIBUSTER
Government May Default if Senate
EFFECT OF THE FILIBUSTER
Government May Default if Senate
Is Not Allowed to
Proceed.

The government printing office VIII
shut down tonight for an indefinite period
and the United States government VIII
default in its payment on the June pen
sion roll unless the Senate iilibuster ends
by tonight and permits tie passage OF
the general deficiency bill. Chairman Taw-
ney In a statement issued today called at
tention to the seriousness of the situation
in order that the blame may be put where
it belongs He and other House and Sem
ate leaders declared today that the pres
ent situation resulting from the Senate
tilibuster. begun yesterday by Senator La
Toilette of Wisconsin. was more grave
and possibly productive of more serious
conditions than any they had known since
| they first came to Congress. They want 1t
understood that if the government de-
faults in its pension payment for June it
will be the first time in the history of the
government. and that this. well the
shutting down of the big printery, will be
due absolutely and entirely to the Senate
tilbusterers.
May Delay Pensions
Mr.. Tawney made the following state
ment:
while the patriotic people of our coun-
- u'e 'eSoi otIho tue raves III llle SUI
diers who sacrificed their lives for the
Union. Senator La Toilette and a few
democrats are indulging in a filibuster in
the Senate, which. if persisted in beyond
| today. will cause an indefinite postpone
ment in the June payment of the pensions
due the widows of those thus mourned
and of the pensions o the veterans who
survived that awful struggle. The folly
of these flibusterS will also suspend
after today the execution of urgent work
at the government printing office. and will
throw out o. employment in that institu-
tlon thousands of working men and WON.
| en- who toll therein for daily wages
Never in the history of Congress has
! a minority party pursued the policy o1
| filibustering with less cause or with more
serious consequences to the government
| than the one prosecuted in the House
| during the past two months and the on,
| now in progress In the Senate
Awaits Senate Action.
! The general deficiency appropriation
| bill carries many sums necessary for the
public service. Chief among them are
Sl".OW.O0p for the June payment of pen.
sions and S500.OOO for payment of wages
in the government printing Office
| Unless the filibuster in the Senate
| ceases today in time for consideration and
adoption of the conference report on this
/
| House. and for its enrolment and sigma
| ture by the President. the government,
| will be compelled to default--for the frs,
| time in its history-in the payment OF
pensions to the soldiers and their widows
| and the government printing office will be
| prevented next Monday morning from
| opening its doors and beginning its Gus
| tomary activities. in which many ar.
| engaged in earning their daily bread.
New Policy Adopted.
Resort to flibustering in either hous.
| of Congress has therefore been confined
To occasions when it was claimed the
| right of discussion was denied or con
| stitutional government was according Il
| the conviction of the minority. endan
| gered: but during this session of Congress:
a new policy has been adopted and a new
/ chapter in our parliamentary history i:
| being written: the minority of the House
| consumed the time that should have beer
| devoted to consideration of material ques
| tions of government in senseless roll calls
! Senator La Toilette and few democratic
| assistants in the Senate are now engaged
] in annihilating time by reading state doc
! uments in order To demonstrate TO the
| country that they can prevent the ma
! jOrity from legiSlatinS