Evening star., 1922-12-06
XX HY 10 a flibuster? Who
\N/ elected a fIlibuster to rule
over America: How does


\N/ elected a nlibuster to rule
" over America How does
q flibuster BLUM q major
ity and compel it to submit to the
will OF q minority?
We have just seen a hlibuster ac-
compIish in the Senate. what no
argument could do, and. entirely
aside from the merits OF the Dyer
anti-lynching bill. It seems to an on
buster is more serious matter than
<itfer passing or defeating any
measure that has come before Con-
gresS for many a year. II a handful
Of determined filibusterers can wholly
blum q great majority out Of sue
cess IN carrying out its determine
ton as to whether 1t has lost the
franchise and continues to govern
by and for the people.
It may well be recognized that the
particular measure against which the
late flibuster was aimed had two
sfsles in the argument We would
not confuse the issue by even stating
the main points Of that argument
for the greater menace lies In the
question Of how it was defeated:
L. i
the nlibuster is to triumph un-
checked, then the Senate itself in
q measure is defeated in it's useful
ness as deliberative body. II the
fllibuster could triumph over the ma
5ority in the one measure. what is
resort OF 4 determined minority
whenever argument fails?
The filibuster is revolutionary and
in essence Is outlawry. 1t has no
body. The term comes from the
seventeenth century. when it meant
the same as piracy. A filibuSterer is a
pirate or buccaneer-an outlaw. Until
a few years ago the term and meth
DDS were limited to those citizens Of
ono country who organized plunder-
ing expeditions against another and
a friendly country.
But. In the language OF Boss Tweed:
What are you going to do about t?"
Several courses are open. The most
obvious Is to turn the weapon upon
the flibusterers whenever they have
a measure dear to their hearts. II the
Senate is to be broken up into groups.
the filfbuster becomes all the more
formidable. for any little bloc can
lock the wheels OF progress. 1t Is a
dangerous weapon. magnifying its
danger by the number OF separate
interests.
Another way to curb It IS to change
the rules of debate SO as to limit the
speaking: but that would run counter
to the traditions Of that most august
body. and 4. is doubtful II even a
strong majority could accomplish the
change.
The most effective means OF wasting
the time of the Senate-which is ali
that q nlibuster aims to do-is to
make useless motions or parliament
ary demands. and then ask for a roll
call upon each dilatory motion. a
roll call costs the Senate some
twenty minutes. and 20 IT only re-
quires three to kill more :han an
hour. Any senator can call attention
to the most trifins detail ana de-
mand a roll call upon 1t. There is
no more argument in that sor. Of
flibuster than there is In 4 high
wayman's eandbag.
But now there comes a possibility
of relief from that sort OF holding up
Of the nations interests. A young
electrician of Washington, Marshall
F. Thompson. has an invention which.
it is claimed. will enable all members
to vote sim 1nultaneously and instan-
taneousiy by merely pressing a but
ton in an electric coatrivance. which
will register his vote-"aye." "prrs-
cnt." nay or correction" The
whole vote will thus be record
ed In a few seconds. instead Of
many minutes and it Is esti-
mated that in the House (aside from
time now wasted in filibustering). the
instrument will save two or three
months time In session of Congress.
A demonstration Of it is to be given
this week in the House office building.
The United States commissioner of
education. Or. Tigert, states that OF
the 100000 children in the United
States between the ages of five and
eighteen years one-fourth are not
in any school. That comedies with
the Army test of literacy amongst
/ the drafted men. which showed that
one-four;h of them could not read
nor write. The commissioner calls
for greater funds for educating the
masses. but i. seems to many that
| what is needed. in addition to. and
even more than funds to improve
present schools. is compulsory edu-
cation amendment to the Cnnstttu-
ton which will give federal power
to plant elementary schools in the
sllitarate regions and compel all
children, and all adults who are i'll
! literate, to attend school until they
can at least master the primary ele-
ments of an education. OF course.