The Washington herald., 1918-08-16
SENATE FAILS
WITH CRUCIAL
DRAFT BILL UP
Lacks 6 Of Quorum when
Man Power Measure
Presses for Action.
CHAMBERLAIN READY
Enough Members Are in
Town, But Not Enough
Attend Session.
CHAMBERLAIN READY

To the great surprise Of wash
Ington and of the Senate itself. .
quorum OF Senators could not be
counted yesterday in answer to the
salI to take up consideration Of the
important man-power bill.
: Charges OF stacking" and put
ting their personal interests ahead
Of the governments needs in time
sf war, were heard on the floor
sf the chamber and in the corri-
dors of the Capitol. The Repub-
Hcans had % present and % absent.
the Democrats 81 present and an
absentee list of 81.
Senator Curtis OF Kansas. the Re-
publican whip. was scouting about
the Capitol after the roll call had
shown only 43 Senators present, six
short of a quorum, when he found
Senator Thomas Martin of Virginia,
the Democratic floor leader, in his
committee room. Senator Martin.
IKE many others, had thought
there would surely be a quorum
present and that their attendance
would not be necessary. and a poll
made after the failure to get a
Quorum, showed that there were
enough Senators in Washington to
make a quorum If they had all at
tended the session.
As q result of the failure to get a
quorum yesterday. the bill, cannot be
reached before Thursday. In the
opinion OF many Senators the three
days would be sufficient time for the
Senate to consider and pass the bill.
Democrats Present.
The Democrats who answered to
their names yesterday were Ashurst.
Bankhead. Chamberlain. Culberson,
Fletcher. Gore. Guion. Henderson.
Jones Of New Mexico. Kirby, Nc
Rellar. Nugent, Pittman. Pomerene,
Ransdell. Reed. Salisbury. Shanroth.
Sheppard. Thomas and Trammel. a
grand total Of twenty-one out Of a
membership Of fifty-two.
Democrats Absent.
ham, Benet, Gerry, Hardwick. Hitch
cock. Hollis. James. johnson, OF South
Dakota. Kendrick. King. Lewis. Mar
tin. Myers. Overman. owen, Phelan,
Robinson, Shields. Simmons. Smith of
Arizona, Smith of Georgia. Smith of
Maryland. Smith of South Carolina.
swanson. Thompson. Underwood,
Nardaman. Walsh. Wiley. Williams
and wolcott. a total OF thirty-one.
Senator Ollie James, Of Kentucky.
and senator Hoke Smith, Of Georgia,
are too i'll to attend sessions of the
Senate. Senator Lewis Is in Europe
on government business and Senator
Thompson, who went to Europe for
his own guidance and information on
the war. has not yet returned.
Senator Martin was at the Capitol
and did not answer roll call. and
Senators Owen. SHEDS and Smith. Of
Maryland. arrived too late to help
make up the quorum
Republicans Present.
Republican Senators who answered
the roll call today were Baird. Borah,
Brandagee. Calder, CUmmins. Curtis.
Fernald. France. Hale. Johnson of
California. Jones OF Washington. Kel-
logg, Knox. McCumber. McNary. Mel
son, New. Penrose. Poindexter. Smoot.
Wadsworth and Weeks. a total Of p.
Republicans Absent.
Republicans who failed to answer
TO their names were: Colt. Dilling-
ham. Fall, Frelinghuysen. Gallinger.
Con. Gronna. Harding. Kenyon. La
Toilette, Lenroot. Lodge, Mclean.
Norris. Page. Sherman. Smith OF
Michigan. Sterling. Sutherland.
Townsend. Warren and WATSON
% in all. Senators Dillingham; and
Gallinger are too i'll to attend. and
Senators Sherman and Frelinghuy-
sen arrived at the Capitol too late
for the roll call.
Chamberlain Ready with Bill.
The Senate is operating under a
unanimous consent agreement by
which meetings are to be held on
Monday and Thursday of each week
This agreement can be dissolved
only by another unanimous consent
agreement and a quorum must be
present This means that Senator
Chamberlain will present the man
power bill on Monday IL a quorum
can be gotten together. and that it
will not come up for consideration
before Thursday.