Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-03
Speaker Clark Outlines Sew
eraI Alterations Deemed to
Be Necessary.
SUBJECT TO COME UP
DURING TARIFF SESSION
Plan on Foot for instantaneous VOt-
ing by Electrical Machinery
to Save Time.

weary way through the extra session of
Congress there is to be consideration OF
proposed changes in the rules of the
House. Some of the rules under which
the House has lately been operating have
not proven to be all that was expected OF
them. But it was case of knowing the
pudding by the eating" and the expert
ence gained from practice will be utilized
Champ Clark, who has construed the
rules ever since the overthrow of the
Cannon rules. and who will be the Speak
er of the next House, is, it is declared,
I'm position to judge better than any one
else of the practical working of the
rules and first to discover their weak
spots. If he doesn't find them out some
irritated member who has felt the gaf
is quick to tell him.
Rules Committee Authority.
"Of course said Mr.. Clark to Star
reporter today, 1.-The committee on rules
is the first authority on the subject or
changes in the rules, but as Speaker for
two years have studied the rules rather
thoroughly and have noticed certain DIM
culties. inadequacies and uncertainties
which should be remedied.
.'The great body of the rules is growth
of Ia years. a gradual growth by rea-
Son of experience, consequently there IS
no necessity for change in most of the
rules. There are, however, certain rules
which have not realized the good inten-
tions of their authors.
Unanimous Consent Calendar.
by the establishment of the unanimous
consent calendar it was intended to give
every member chance to secure the pas
sage of a bill to which there could be no
great objection; but so much time is con-
sumed under the guise of 'reservinS the
right to object that the good effects OF
the rule have been largely neutralized-
MIR. Speaker Cannon declared the
unanimous consent calendar to be re-
lief to the Speaker, and l have found it
SO: but the rule should be changed SO as
to limit the time which may be con-
sumed under the reservation of the right
to object. OF course. a demand by any
member for the regular order puts an
end to talk under the reservation of the
right to object, but that usually irritates
the member who is speaking and he OBJ
jects abruptly to the consideration OF the
bill.
How It Works Out.
i his consumption OF tllne uilueT inc
reservation of the right to object also
prevents the House reaching suspensions
and the consideration of motions to dis
charge committees, for on the first ana
third Mondays we have: O The unani-
NOUS consent calendar; (2) Suspensions
of the rules; 90 The calendar OF motions
to discharge committees.
These three orders of proceedings are
confined to the first and third Mondays,
except that motions to suspend are also
in order on the last six days of the ses-
sion During the Sixty-second Congress
so much time was consumed on the
unanimous consent calendar that we
never reached suspensions on but two
Mondays-then late in the day-and new
er reached the calendar of motions to
discharge committees al of which pro-
duced some dissatisfaction.
The Call of Committees.
Again, the setting apart of Wednes-
days for the call of committees, unless
dispensed with by two-thirds majority,
has not accomplished all the good results
hoped for by reason of large consumption
of time in debate. The rule provided that
when a committee is reached on the call
it is entitled to two Wednesdays, pro-
vided it has business enough to consume
the two days: but both Mr.. Speaker Can
non and myself-the only Speakers who
have construed the calendar Wednesday
rule-haye held-and ii is the only suit
able way to hod-that if at the end of
the second calendar Wednesday to which
committee is entitled, any bill from
that committee is under consideration il
shall go over TO the next Wednesday as
unfinished business and on, ad infin-
itum. The consequence is that sometimes
in that way one committee consumes
several WednesdayS-to the dissatisfac-
tion of members on other committees
Filibustering Could Be Reduced.
The only way to cure this defect in the
calendar Wednesday rule is TO amend it
by lodging the power 10 limit debate in
either the House or the comNittee of
the whole, by which filibustering could be
prevented, AZ, at least, reduced to min
imum.
"A well guarded plan for instantaneous
voting by electrical machinery, instead of
the slow and tedious process OF q roll
call, would save much time. Mr. Garrett
of Tennessee, a member of the rules COM
mittee, is trying with the aid of his con-
freres to work out satisfactory scheme
"All rules are intended to expedite
rather than TO retard legislation | have
noted few changes which seem desir-
able