The Washington times., 1915-11-08
Big Politics Said to Be Involved
In Plan to Cut of An
Debate.
PRESSURE ON MARSHALL
Adoption Of Rule Would Enable
Administration to Force
Bills Through.

Things are shaping UP for a clash
in the Senate, at the very outset Of
the session, over the rules. Cloture,
which means the Limitation of debate,
will cause trouble among the sena-
tors before the session has fairly be-
gun. 1t Is not unlikely that difficulty
over II will flare up on the opening
day. and II is a certainty that It.
will not be delayed longer than until
after the President has presented his
annual message. thus opening the
way for Congress to get down to
actual business.
The cloture contest in the Senate
at the outset is going to overshadow
other matters until II is disposed OF
one way or another. Senator owen
and other Democratic leaders who
to bring the issue to a head. BacH
OF the effort to put a cloture rule
into effect stands the Wilson Ad-
ministration.
Big Politics Involved.
Big politics is involved in the cloture
controversy. The Administration Ia said
to be determined to support a movement
to cut on debate in the Senate largely
| because last session the right of un-
limited debate enabled the opponents Of
| the Dill Tor Government ownership OF
shlpping to defeat that measure. For
years the Southern Democrats fought
| all Efforts at cloture. growing out OF
their fears of n force bill. Many OF
| them now are either openly opposed to
| cloturc or lukewarm toward IL. but most
OF them will support II because the
| President is for It. Few OF the Rcpub-
licans are for cloture In any form. and
some of them who are for It will not
support II unless II Is coupled with y
| provision that cloture shan not be used
| TO force through any measure which
| OF one party or the other.
| The theory of this opposition is that
II measure is adopted in the secret
party caucus and then debate is closed
on ii by the cloture rule. the rights Of
the minority will be absolutely shut of
| and the public will have no protection
against vicious partisan legislation.
Old Rules Continue.
The Senate is generally said to be 4
fcontinuipS body. But whether It is or
Is not IL disputed. In any event, the
Senate rules are not readopted at th,
opening OF each new Congress. as Is the
case in the House. Tho cid rules con-
tinue. An examination OF the records
II Vice President Marshall could he
induced to hold that the Senate is not n
continuous body and the old rules do not
must be adopted. 1t would help the
hackers of cloture greatly. This would
throw the rules question open In such
fashion that 1t would have to be settled
before ANYTHING else could be done.
Pressure is being brought to bear on tho
Vice President to make such a ruling.
and there liz well-founded talk that II
the Vice President, who is an inde-
pendent sort of individual. docs not rule
as the Democratic machine wants him
to rule. he will not be renominated for
Vice President.
Master of Own Rules.
, Such a ruling would doubtless be held
to knock out the provision that pre-.
: vents moving the previous question-iu
other words allows unlimited debate
and would prevent filibuster against
cloture.
But regardless OF any question of thi,
sort. there Is nothing to prevent tht
, Senate adopting new rule any time 4
wants to. 1t is complete master of its
J own rules and proceedings. And Sen
ator Owen, Senator Kern. and Others
will insist on a new rule providing To-
cloture no matter how the Vice Iresi
dent NAV rule.
The situation indicates uncertainty a
to whether such a rule can be adopte6
I. A number of the Democrats will vote
I no. On the other hand. senator Nor
, | ris. Senator Kenyon. and perhaps on'
!. or two other Republicans Will vote fo'
y cioture. At present It looks like an al
= most even division. Senator Norri
!; does not relish 1t because the clotur'
= Democrats are going TO make ctotur'
!, a party caucus proposition. But he will
vote for II, anyhow.
II a cloturc rule goes through. thei
=. the Administration will be prepared t
drive the series OF bills 1t desire
{ through the Senate. including the ship
II ping bill.