Evening star., 1922-07-06
CAN DELAY TARIFF
DESPITE CL0TURE
Democrats, However, Not
FiIibustering, Senator
Underwood Says.
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

II the democrats really wanted I
delay the passage of the pendinA
tariff bill the adoption of a dozen
cloture rules couldn't prevent It
There are more than 1900 amendments
proposed by the republican members
Of the Senate finance committee. and
all the democrats would have to do
would be to demand a roll call on each
amendment when the vote is taken.
or call for a quorum. and the actua,
time consumed in that process, ire,
spective of incidental debate would
postpone the Anal vote for at least
two or three months.
But Senator Underwood, democrats.
leader. told this correspondent today
that the democrats have absolutely
no intention of fiiibustering by that
method or any other. He insisted
that the adoption Of the cloture rule
would hurt the republicans more than
it would help them because by limit
ing the debate to one hour for each
senator it would be impossible for the
bill to get thorough consideration.
Fe wmen in the Senate are equipped
with suficient information to debate
a tariff bill. The rank and file de-
pends upon these experts to do the
debating While much of the talk is
futile. as the republicans have enough
votes to pass any bill they please.
nevertheless the record of the debate
thus far shows that as q consequence
of discussion the republicans have
corrected many OF their own mistakes
and in some cases the republican ma
jority has failed to support the
finance committee recommendation
and beaten their amendments. Twelve
considered. They did not come from
the democrats, but from the republic
can members Of the finance commit
tee. Should n c1oture rule be en-
forced most of these amendments
would have to be passed over with
out debate on their merits.
No Rival Amendments.
Apart from the 1900 republican
the democrats have not
had a chance to present any at all.
They naturally want the opportunity
that is given a minority party to
make out a case against the bill and
justify their votes. Indeed. the demo-
Gratis would rather have that chance
than see the bill defeated. for they
figure the passage of the bill will
be of political value to them at the
polls this autumn. just as the minor
ity party has always benefited at an
election Immediately after the pas
sage of a tariff law.
Responsibility for the delay thus
far is difiicult to f1. The amendments
emanated from republican sources;
democrats and republicans have con-
sumed time in debating them. The
bill is not yet in shape for passage.
Even it's champions will concede ;tat
il wi ha inn hHy ft,r
and that the debate may be helpful.
In fact. two of the most important
Schedules-those on wool and cotton
have not yet been touched. Demo-
cratic leaders predict that the repub-
licans will not venture to go before
the, country with hastily considered
schedules on wool and cotton, and
yet. under cloture rule, the debate
would not only be limited as to sec
tions or provisions, but each senator
would only have an hour. This means
a total of ninety-six hours for debate,
or total of twelve working days of
eight hours each.
Sixty Ready to Vote.
The canvass today showed that
about sixty senators are ready to vote
for a cloture rule. Sixty-four are
needed to pass. as a two-thirds vote
is required. Three democrats will
vote with the republicans because
they favor the pending bill-they hail
from states which are anxious for the
imposition Of certain duties in the
bill But there are at least three re-
publicans and possibly more who will
not vote for cloture. Developments
over night may change the situation,
of course, but the last poll showed an
insufficient number to pass the rule.
is that the defeat OF the cloture rule
may be attributed to the democrats.
and thus the responsibility for de-
laying the measure imposed upon
them.
To the suggestion that 1t would be
wiser for the democrats to aid the
cloture rule and hurry the tariff bills
passage In It's present form the demo-
Gratis reply that they feel 1t their duty
record Of their effort to change the
bill before its passage and that II
they supported cloture 1t would seem
as II they favored the adoption of
the bill a tt stands
Purely as 4 move to hurry things up
and cut OFF unnecessary debate. the
petition for cloture may have a good
effect, though it would not be sur
prising If a vote on the rule were
ment reached eventually for = more
efficient handling of the time that
ought really TO be Gtveu to the re-
maining provisions Of such an i'm
portant piece OF legislation.
tcopyrisAt. lse..)
H-a~n- NHAsA.s-~ l-,s