The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-04-25
Obstruction Tactics Of Mann
and Others Maker Course
Necessary in House.
oUTeENERALED ON HAY BILL
minority Leader Checks Plan to
Rush Army Measure to Con.
ference.

A chaotic Legislative situation IL de-
veiopine in the House of REPRESENTA-
tives and Democratic leaders have
about reached the conclusion that they
must 10 to leglslatinG by special rules
-"eac rules they were called IN ~,
days of Cannon, palzell, and Payne.
Thus will the Presidents program be
! saved.
congressman James z. Mann. the
Republican floor leader Is partly. re-
sponsiblc for nemocratic worries. other
Renublicans are contributing eietncnts
to the unsatisfactory state OF auolrs;
IN the Administration Is TO maze good
that the Rules Committee viii be over
worked.
Democrats of the Rules CoriIniItee ana
other maj ority rarliamentar1ans late
yesterday. when he again prevented me me
sending OF the army reorsanizatcn Dill
to conference. - 49,,
When adicurnment came MIR M1nn
apparently had the whip' hand In MS
fight to prevent the bill going into con-
ference without n direct lIouse vote on
several Senate ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
" those increasing the army TO -JWO
men. rroviding for the raising of a Fed
eral volunteer force and authorizing
nitrate llant.
Speaker Champ Clark upheld a point
OF order made by Mr.. hann against the
Started To Frame Another.
Democrats Immediately went to work
70 frame another rule for report today
in the hope of sending the army bill to
conference. and yesterdays performance
about convinced the majority that Re-
publicans are filibustering against the
Administration legislative program. and
gag rules must be invoked.
There Is no filibuster on. however.
aginst the army bill. The desire OF the
. minority appears to De a., sepap ne v nnn
/. ferees before the bill goes into confer
ence-the minority fearing that an un,
satisfactory preparedness bill VIII
Chairman Hay. of the Military Affairs
Committee, has been endeavoring for
several days to get the army bill into
conference. Mr.. Mann has refused
Democrats of the Rules Committee act
ed upon a suggestion of Mr.. Hay and
reported a special rule discharging the
House Military Affairs Committee from
consideration Of the Senate amendments
and sending the army bill to conference
without intervening motion"
Violated Rules of Debate.
The minority leader Immediately made
q point of order against the special rule.
He insisted that 1t was not a privileged
matter, that II deprived the opposition
of the right to vote on the Senate
amendments or instruct the House con-
ferees, and that 1t violated recognized
rules of consideration and debate.
amended army bill should be referred
to the Military Affairs Committee and
brought back into the House for debate,
or that the minority should be allowed
ments before the bill Is thrown into
conference. where a conference commit
tee will frame a report that must be
adopted IN whole or p not at az All The Ruls,
Committee. Congressman Garrett, Sher-
ley, Hay. and other Democratic parua-
mentary experts, came TO the defense OF
the special rule and the debate on par
nour. Speaker Clark ended the con-
trovergy by sustaining the minority
leaders point OF order against the rule
and Mr. Hays plans were again frus-
trated. ... r~
Mr.. Hay sought once more to send the
army bill to conference by unanimous
consent. but the move was blocked by
Mr.. Mann. The minority leader frankly
asserted during the debate that he de-
sired to have a vote In the House TO
instruct the conferees on the Senate
amendments increasing the size of the
army, providing for Federal volun-
teer force and authorizing nitrate
plant.
Would Tie Up House.
Mr.. Hay said the House conferees
could not meet the Senate conferees on
fair terms II the representatives OF the
lower body are to be instructed in ad-
vance as to their actions.
There Is a possibility that the House
will vote for a big army II given the
opportunity The Republicans will line
up almost solidly for an army bigger
than that proposed In the original Hay
bill-t40000 men.
II the question is thrown open to de-
bate In the House. the Senate amend
ment probably will be amended to read
100000 or 2250O0 men. and a number OF
Democrats. II is said. are inclined ia
vote with the Republicans for this MAJ
teiial increase.
Republican leaders also believe that II
may be possible to defeat the Hay pro.
vision for "FederaliZed national
guard and to accept the volunteer
army provisions Of the Senate bill.