The Washington herald., 1917-03-08
UNITES
To BLOCK PLAN
To FILIBUSTER
Republicans and Democrats
Join Forces to Aid
Wilson.
IS S"PREPAREDNESS"MOVE
Rule of Cloture Framed to Facilitate
Passage of Expected War
Measures.

Measures.
A bipartisan alliance in the Senate OF
the United States was last night prepa red
to limit debate In the Upper House to
meet the present international crisis
A modified form OF cloture was agreed
upon by both Democrats and Republic
ans In Independent caucus and II will be
laid before the Senate today The adop-
ton of the cloture proposal would clear
the way for an immediate call for an
extraordinary session Of Congress. to vest
the President with full and complete pow
er to protect American rights at sea
The change in the Senate rules was
framed by joint committee OF the Dem
ocratlc caucus and the Republican eau
Gus. and within Q few hours was endorsed
by both caucuses. The Democrats ac-
cepted the proposal unanimously, al
though some administration leaders urE-
ed more drastic form OF cloture than
That framed by the committee The Re
publican caucus voted thirty to two in
favor Of the cloture rule.
There will be some opposition TO tn.
cloture rule on the Senate floor" said
senator Lewis, OF Illinois, whip Of the
democratic organization But Il will
pass without a doubt"
Plan to Block FTIfbu,,.r
- was stateo that the leaders anticipat-
60 about week OF debate on the new
proposal, and that Il would be forced TO
vote at the end Of that time ~ an
enort is made to hibuster aRainst the
proposal, the Observation-Disclosures .I-
nance Is prepared to take drastic step-
IN parliamentary practice to halt the on
position. W
The new rule. as adopted by both
cAuuses' would allow two-thirds Of the
NFnNHe AAAe.
measure In the Democratic caucus.
senator Hoke Smith fought for a pro
posal to allow a majority Of the Senate
TO hN the Limitation. but he was nm
successful There was some sentiment
III the republican caucus for majority
cloture. The rule as adopted read:
That If at any time a motion signed
DIV sixteen Senators, to bring to a close
the debate upon any pending measure
is presented to the Senate, the presiding
of1cer shall at once state the motion
10 the Senate, and one hour after ire
Senate meets on the following calendar
day but one. he shall Law the motion
before the Senate and direct that the
secretary call the roll, and, upon the
the presiding officer shall. without de-
bate. submit TO the Senate by an aye
and-nay vote the question
Is 1t the sense Of the Senate that
the debate shall be brought to a close
And II that question shall be de-
cided in the affirmative by a two-thirds
vote Of those voting. then said measure
shall be the unfinished business Of tn.
exclusion OF all other business until dis
posed of
Thereafter no Senator shall be en-
titled to speak, in all, more than one
hour on the pending measure. the
amendments thereon and motions af-
fecting the same. and II shall be the
duty OF the presiding officer TO keep
the time OF each Senator who speaks.
Except by unanimous consent, no
amendment shall be in order after the
vote to bring the debate to a close.
unless the same has been presented
and read prior to that time. No dila-
tory motion or dilatory amendment,
or amendment not germane shall be in
order. Points OF order, including ques-
tions OF relevancy and appeals from
the decision OF the presiding officer
shall be decided without debate"
Under this rule. after two-thirds OF
the Senate vote to close debate 90
hours OF discussion will be allowed.
wilson Indor.es Plan.
The cIoture proposal was discussed
with the President by Senators Reed.
Owen. Walsh. Swapson. Hoke Smith
and James, who were Democratic MEM
bers of the joint committee which
framed the rule. The President fn-
dorsed the plan OF beginning the fight
in the Senate tomorrow. and Senator
Walsh, of Montana, will be placed in
the chair to conduct the proceedings.
Senator Walsh when he returned from
the White House opened the rules fight
by presenting a motion to adopt all OF
the rules of the last Senate except those
which the cloture proposal will supplant.
He made a speech which for vigorous
language has seldom been equaled In
the Senate, in which he declared that un-
limited debate opened the way for
traitors 10 bring disaster on the coun-
try.
"A genuine alarm pervades the country
lest some enemy may In the near future
attack u.s." he said. Imagine the time
at hand and the foe bearing down upon
US Action-immediate action by the Con-
gress is imperative. It Is scarcely con-
ceivabie that war should be precipitated
or be impending without an appeal from
the Presidepe fep--~>afurried action by
BODY. 4. -finds ready response Z except from
small coterie Of Senators who spell
each other on the floor until the enemy
thunders at the gates of our cities and
the republic has had It's death blow.
They may be honest but misguided
peace-at-any-price men, who continue to
hope that the awful horror OF armed con-
iict may be sverted by further peaceful
overtures."