The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-11-16

a. IL
ny vor. Of IS ~ Is the United
gtateA senate Saturday voted on It.
self a RUE limiting debate ana for
bidding further resolutions of any
Kind win reference 10 he peace
troay We are not prepared 20 as
srrt that this N the frs lime In
he history OF The senate that such
action has been taken. We are pre-
pared 10 saJ that II comes very near
being pfrCedonl
The United States senate has al
why's pfided Itself on being he one
unrestricted forum Of debate IN tho
civilized world. Witnin tnose his
tofic walls members were answer
able only 10 their judgment, their
CUnR uenclss ami he. Goa Ana
this liberty. the candid commentator
mus, agree. has hrcn more Vttrn
blessing than a curse The Interests
of the people Of the United states
haye at times, apparently, been DC
ldyrd by the tradition. hui on the
other hand the are mum betleha ~.
stances when The right Of unlimited
debate has saved The nation from
"A grave mistake.
In the minds OF senators who are
welded to the trad tons OF me
chamber and familiar with the very
essence Of the n hers intentions
WITH fospoc 70 our dual lrgisla I'VE
body there has ways been exceed
ing prejudice aRains' adop ing the
modernlnms of mrdiocrit$ the now
ana then suggested departure OF
iimiNng "a senator In debate on any
subject particularly arousing their
opposition.
When the Present Huie Was Born.
II memory s"rVrH accurately u
was during the first term Of the con.
grc~s following n" election OF
Woodrow wilson To the presidency,
when the democrats for the hrs,
time IN cons derable while found
themselves w-h h fun governnFens
mandate. ihnt Colonel Robert L.
owen. senator from oklahoma, and,
for tho time being the apparent hd-
minls,rsiiou leadcf In the upper
house. buslhd himself In making
capital for his party Llke many
new hand. hetor. HIM The Okla
homa senator was filled with ths
zeal for advising reforms In me
manner or conducting the affairs
o. the senate The rule permitting
Inlimiied debate especially dls-
pleased The man from the west VINO
finding himself a. he head OF ma
jority. fretird under his disability
to transform It INTO modern steam
roller. In that way tlntterlng out op-
position and putting through The
caucus decisions OF his partisan or
Tho old heads were
on both sides OF the
chamber But there wore many new
l'kr. In some respects. the
Oklahoma man. who had little rev
ercnce for traditions and no patience
with considerable debate. The mat
ter hung IN the balance for weeks
Result OF Compromise.
Finally, there came out OF II a
which would In the tu-
ture permit the senate TO adopt the
rule Of cloture for tho time being
Under that rule, In case legislation
vns being unduly delayed In the
mlnds OF a considerable number OF /
senator's, II would be possible for a
certain number by signing such an
appeal 10 the chair 1--WE believe mo
number required is ib) to force on |
the attention OF the senate RUE I
limiting tho debate on the subject
then under discussion 10 such an ex-
tent as he soua;c by a two-thlrds ma
iority might order. This proftered |
rule should itself he subject TO the
rule of cloture In other words II
must be voted on as presented ana
could not Itself be Killed by uniimt- !
I'D debate II two thirds of the sena-
tors present and voting In me AZ
'irmative then the rule governed ne
actions OF the senate unth tho SUP
Nrt under consideration should DC
'inally disposed OF
Content, apparently win haVlhe
attained this much OF reform In sen
,ie procedure, the prnponen's OF 10
,,form subsidized and in the course
~ inns found themselves more and ,
more In accord with the ancient
-uies OF the body. They discovered
ma, what was their mharrsssament
oday became their salvation tomot
.oy go matters went aloNg.
Uitchcock's sad Mistake.
few days ago Senator HltchcocK.
he administration leadet In charge |
~ tho league OF nations covenant
nd who has played strategic poillcs
rom the very beginning OF the con
,n,ars, uadr "A very unw'a' pc7-
.ur. lie threatened to invoke N"
.ule OF cloturc Just described, Tor
n. purpose. OF ending debate ana
'orciny the senate 10 final vote on
he peaoe treaty. The purpose or
Ma v,. >, InIprcss tnNornhN the
.eneral public because Mr. Hitch-
,ock wanted cloturc not hit more
han the average man wants ms
.Igh, eve taken from him when
10 announced that he would secure
he necessary signatures TO such
notion he expected T. 10 be taken
10 n threat only Ru' he was In this.
.s in So many other false moves,
rcknnlng without his host Senator
.odge said. "Nery well the cloiure
business Ia Satisfactory 90 those or
r pho ,rs Ssokiuv 'O AmerlcanlEe
his document Since you want De
,atr ended and tho senate forced to z
onccru Itself solely with the IN Ter
{ voting on the reservations. we WI
rant your request n
Coturc with Vengeance.
SO the majority brought IN rule
, provided for ending debate on the
,eacr treaty Also forbade further
wrndmentS. resolu ions, rese va
Ions on other parliamentary pro
edure Under r. the senators could
ute on only the matters then be
.. boo Hus1 NJ. ~ 'chuock seeing ~
glance the p'i hc had fallen into
nd. worst ~ al. ina h. had dug
TO- himself le' nut a yell hat wns
card with amused smiles on the
r.s'4 l.r e "aniil
.prned that there was behind the
la1nrlty resolution more a y
r.nru vo'cg 20 pu' u through.
"N.0 woe hrrrc1 PR with he
',spy, tvt.t.H fNc aAYpGplatvatIpp