The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-15
SENATE ADOPTS
CLOTURE; FINAL
ACTION IN week
SOlOns Literally SpeechIess at
Unprecedented Move.
Freedom of Debate Gone First
Time in History.
MOVE RESULTED IN ACTION
Next Reservation on List
Passed in One Minute.
Senators Are Limited to Hours
Speech Apiece.
SOlOns Literally SpeechIess at
Unprecedented Move.
MOVE RESULTED IN ACTION
Next Reservation on List
Passed in One Minute.

Washington, Nov. ia clo-
ture to shut down debate on the
peace treaty was adopted today
in the senate.
The vote was IS to 16, Or Is
more than the required two
thirds.
Republican and Democratic
leaders voted together for the
clOture which means that, until
the treaty is disposed of, no SEN
atOr may speak in all more than
one hour. 1t was estimated the
step would bring final action
within a week.
Got Immediate Action.
The action. invoking cloture for the
first time in the senate,s history. re-
suited in an Immediate speeding up
OF the reservation program, the next
reservation on the committee list be-
ing adopted within one minute with
out debate or 4 roll call. 1t related to
M ndates.
Five reservations had been adopted
by 3 o'clock (Washington time).
IlIeldlIY SDR6CnleSS
on adoption of the cloture.
For the first time in its hic .ory free
dom OF debate was gone and senators
sat mute, fearing to say word lest it
be taken from their time
After half a minute of dead silence
a litter spread over the floor and
Marshall then announced that the sec
retary of the senate would keep time
o on each member.
Fall, New Mexico. Republican, was
IA for inc n1rNr
Saw Humor in 1t.
Senators got many laughs out of the
cloture. LaF gillette, famous for his
long speeches, cnuckled audibly every
time the new rule pinched a colleague.
lie was opposed to it.
The new rules overturned the prac-
tees Of the senate and there were
many Wrangles, senators often taking
the precaution to inquire if their time
would be counted
Poindexter, Washington, was the
first senator to make a speech under
the cloture rule. He spoke eight min
utes. taking the floor half an hour aft
er the gag became effective.
Hiram Johnson got in Immediately
afterwards
The text of the first reservation
adopted follows:
No mandate shall be accepted by the
United States under Article -. part
one. or any other provision of the
treaty of peace with Germany except
by action OF the congress OF the United
States.
In taking up the committee reserva
ton to retention by this government
of control over domestic questions, the
senate. by vote of So to 43, rejected
substitute proposed by Senator
Hitchcock. The committee reserya-
ton then was adopted.
Adopt HaIe's Amendment.
An amendment by Senator Hale,
Republican, Maine, to the committee
reservation so as to make it include
questions regarding boundaries of the
United States and its possessions was
adopted - to 40. with party lines on
both sides divided.
Taking up the committees Monroe
doctrine reservation, the senate voted
down. to 4S. a substitute by Demo-
cratic Leader Hitchcock. declaring the
doctrine in no way impaired or af-
fected" by the treaty Only two
Democrat senators, Reed, Missouri
and Shields, Tennessee, stood with the
Republicans for the committee draft
Adopt Monroe Doctrine Change
Another substitute for the commit
tees Monroe doctrine reservation,
offered by Senator Pittman, Democrat,
Nevada. proposing that the United
states reserve for its disposal any