Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-24

Washington, D. c., July 21.-Some,,
thing must be done about the cni!ed
States senate. 1t is not functionlng
properly. A great many people have
insisted that this is the case for a
very long time, but now senators are
becoming critics of themselves ana
their own institution. .
As a lawmaking factory the senate
is entitled to an efficiency rating that
would shock production experts. Henry
Food, who says that the rate Of pro-
duction is the most important factor
in industry, would probably have taken
the senate apart and put it together
again as an entirely different kind
of machine had he been elected a mem
Der when he sought the toga that MIR.
Newberry now wears. That Is pro-
vided he could have found a way to
introduce Ford methods and innova-
tons into an establishment that seems
to have been organized to prevent just
that sort of thing.
Waste motion is the problem the Ell
ficency experts tackle first when they
ing plant. Waste words-or waste
wind-seems to be the principal trouble
with the senate. At any rate sena-
Itorial leaders who are addressing them
selves to the question of how to dis
pose of the legislative program before
the election are agreed that the first
thing to be done is to find some way
of limiting debate and forcing action
within a reasonable period of time on
important measures such as tariff and
the bonus. Hence the amending of the
senate rules is now under cOnsidera-
ton.
Cloture was at first proposed, but
it failed. This requires a two-thirds
vote and a not be brought about so
long as any considerable minority de-
sires to continue the discussion of a
given measure. With a. subject such
as the tariff before the senate it is
a foregone conclusion that the debate
cannot be ended until the opposition
has talked itself out or has decided
that it will be good politics to let the
bill pass. Thus the necessity of chang
ing the rules is indicated. This can
be done by a majority vote at any
time and it is taken for granted that
the republicans can muster sufficient
strength to turn the trick.
Would Avoid Boomerang
Accordingly the problem is how to
frame a new rule hat will accomplish
the desired end and not 90 too far,
that will command the necessary votes
to put it through, and that will not
prove to be a boomerang if the time
should come when control of the SEN
ate is reversed and the republicans
are in the minority instead of in the
majority. This calls for political gen
JUS and wisdom of a high order. 1t also
calls for caution and despite the emer-
gency il is unlikely that immediate &C
ton will be taken. Senator James +
Watson, of Indiana. who is looked upor
in ONE quarters as the real republican
leader, has the job in hand.
President Harding indicated clearly
what he thought of the situation in the
congress as a whole and in the senate il
particular when he denounced legisla'
ton by blocs. Secretary Of War Weeks
and he. too. was formerly a senator
spoke right out in meeting and said thu
fundamental trouble is the low STANDARD
of craftsmanship resulting from the di
rect primary. Chairman Adams Of tn,
republican national committee fixes th'
responsibility on the democratic mi
nority.
Senator Watson and other leader
who feel the responsibility for the par
tvs legislative program believe that thu
trouble is q combination of what thu
president and the national chairman
have criticized. That is TO say, they
attribute the procrastination of congress
to the power welded by minorities
whether political or special interest il
character.
1t is to be expected that the senator
and representative Of the opposition
party will do all that they can to OBJ
struct legislation in which they do no
believe. but at the present time Their
is a farm bloc minority. an anti-bonu'
minority, an anti-ship subsidy minority
q reclamation minority and minoritie
on various tariff schedules that ar