The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-06
UNDERWOOD LEADS 1 DEBATE AGAINST
 INVOKING CL0TURE
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(COntinued from page One) the chamber; it is not fair to the people of the country when the most important portions of the bill are undisposed of and unconsidered. to attempt to shut off debate and pre- vent senators from offering amend ments.'
 Senator Robinson charged that the purpose was to shut off complaints against the bill from the majority side.
 This bIll in the form presented by the finance committee Is beaten." he shouted. "Is there senator who does not know on that side of the chamber (the republican side) there is a growing feeling of disgust that is threatening the defeat of the bill.
 Beaten fin Public Conscience
 'It is beaten In the public com science. This petition for cloture is presented as pure buncombe and some signers of the petition would be glad to see the bill abandoned. Everywhere in primary contests. where 1t has been made an issue, It's proponents have met with dis aster. The press of the country is against 1t almost unanimously"
 Senator Lodge replied that tho pc- tition had been offered In absolute good faith"
 If any senator doubts that 1t was offered in good faith let him vote for 1t and see If we do not put 1t co{d an n 1nr If they (the democrats) think this tariff Is beaten, why don't they bring It to a vote? They know it is not beaten.
 We believe the country demands action, prompt action, on this bill. This petition will ITevent any de- ception and allow the country to know who refuses to take action. It will show the country which party is responsible for the dolay. which party Is using this bill for purely political purposes while business is kept in suspense"
 Time or Action
 Senator Lodge declared there had been a "reckless waste of the time of the Senate and the country in the discussion of tn ebill. He sail it was time to curtain debate and said
 
 the democratic side, as to time for a final vote on the bill.
 Senator Underwood responded that 1t was not possible to agree to a time to vote on a bill which still was being amended by the finance committee as opponents could not know what amendements would be presented or whether portions now satisfactory would be changed later.
 Pointing out that the tariff always had been rolitieal issue he said the proposition confronting the re- publicans was that they had delayed presenting the bill to the Senate until an 'ill-advised t.me--an elec- tion year." He declared the com mittee majority had found that 1t had made many mistakes and re- minded the republicans that under the rule it was proposed to be in- voked other mistakes wlich might be found later. could not be recti- fled as no amendments could be of- fered.
 Cannot Go to Country
 You knew you cannot go to the country and justify the passage of this bill under q gag rule,' he de- clared, and you had better not pass it that way and throw this mis- shapen thing Into the face of the people"
 Republicans insisted that since they had 24 majority they had a right to legislate without keeping the Senate in session until October or later. They invited suggestions from the democrats for a date on which final vote should be taken, but none was offered, though Sem ator Underwood said he hoped to see vote some time in August"
 Senator Kellogg. republican, Min- nesota, said 1t took only seven weeks to pass the existing Underwood law and that the Senate had already been 10 weeks on the present bill with less than one-third of 1t dis posed. Senator Underwood replied there had been 600 committee amend ments to the Underwood law, where as the committee had made POST canges in the pending bill.
 Senator McCumber finally cut off debate after one hour with a motion to recess.