Omaha daily bee., 1911-02-21
HOUSE PUTS LIMIT ON DEBATE
New Rule Adopted that Makes it Pos
sible to Secure Vote.
VA CLAIMS BLLI IS PASSED
Days session opens with AdvO-
Gates Of French Claims FiIibus-
'terinE Against Remainder
of Measure.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 20-Filibustering
In the lower branch of congress In this
session became thng Of the past today
when the house voted by a large majority
for rule which. when invoked by two
thirds vote as to any pending measure,
forthwith reduces the time OF debate TO
forty minutes and cuts of all amendments.
/, 1zit rule ayas nnmodiafsf Invoked AGAINST
the tilib1ster on the Orihubhs war claims
bill and that measure-a house substitute
for q senate bill-was passed in short or
der. The house bill cuts out ell Of the
French spoiation and the navy yard over
time claims. There Is not great deal Of
hope that it viii be accepted by the senate.
Characterized as a gag by some of its
opponents. the rule adopted today can only
be brought into play when two-thirds of
the house desire IT, and even then the pas
sage OF a bin under the suspension pro-
vided for can only be accomplished by
two-thirds vote.
In the rules committee Fl was proposed
at first to allow a majority TO invoke the
rule. The democrats objected 10 this and
the two-thirds provision was inserted.
Acts Merely as Safeguard.
In urging the adoption of the rule in the
house. the democratic leaders pointed out
this provision was sufficient safeguard
and the minority party would always be in
a position to muster more than one-third
the membership Of the house and defeat
any undesirable measure. Through this
power, Il was said. the democrats we're
In a position to demand that appropriation
bills called up under the rule be put in sat
isfactOry shape That the new rule was not
intended wholly as a steam roller" but
as a means of ending useless fiiibusters.
was demonstrated within very few hours
after its adoption. The house resumed con-
sideration OF the naval appropriation bill
under the ordinary rules. More than two
hours were spent in general debate and
then the reading Of the bill for amendment
under the five minute rule was begun
The naval bill, as reported from the COM
mittee calls for the repeal OF the eight
hour clause in the building OF batteships
and ether naval vessels at private yards.
1t also provides for two bsttleships, It was
not believed by those in charge OF the
measure that the two-battleshlp program
could muster a two-thirds vote.
other side starts FiIIbustsr.
It was sun the legislative day Of Friday
In the house when that body met at 10
O'Clock today in pursuance OF the twenty
eight-hour session ordered shortly before
clock yesterday
one OF the omnibus claims bills which
have held the house in a tangle since Friday
last was still under consideration. Il was
the house bill carrying war claims offiei-
ally and omitting the French spoliation
and navy yard overtime claims and there
: was stlll a filibuster proceedings against
the measure.
Mr.. Mann OF Illinois who commanded the
nlibuster under which the French claims
were stricken out was lined up with those
I'm favor OF the bin, but several advocates
OF the apoHation claims had taken up the
! fight against the bill.
As soon as the house convened the point
CONTINUED on second Psse5