Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-03-15
PRESIDENT FAVORS
SUGGESTED CHANGE
IN SENATE RULES
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Ueased Wire Service to The Journal.)
Copyright, 1921

NNOpyFISHls 1J-o.J
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla,
March 4.-Representative Mon
delPs statement that some revision
of the senate rules is necessary to
prevent a minority from overcoming
the will of majority is echoed with
considerable enthusiasm by Presi,
dent Harding.
Fresh in the memory of the presi-
dent is the fact that the merchant
marine bill is one of the 144 bills
which passed the house but died in
the senate because of filibustering
tactics. Mr.. Harding has been given
the pledges Of a majority of the
members of the senate who would
have voted for the measure if given
chance. "Shall the people ruler
is a familiar slogan in politics, but
it may come into use again in the
next campaign unless something is
done in the next senate.
Mr.. Wilson found himself en-
barrassed by the rules of unlimited
debate in the senate and succeeded
in persuading his party associates to
put through a form of cloture which
at the time was believed adequate.
That revision of the rules has fail
ed signally. 1t provided that when
ever sixteen members of the senate
signed a petition to end debate, the
senate must take vote on a motion
to limit the time that each senator
could talk before vote had to- be
taken. But the same rule provided
that two-thirds must approve the
motion to limit debate.
Didn't Have Enough Votes
President Harding didn't have a
two-thirds majority for the ship
subsidy bill. Few bills ever have
that much support unless they are
absolutely non-partisan. So in or
der to get any legislation through
two-thirds OF the senate must really
consent to the legislation.
Mr.. Harding had his biggest par
ty majority in the session of con-
gress just ended. The Republicans
will have a scant majority in both
house and senate next time. Still
it will be possible for them under
house rules to put through party
measures by adopting under the ma
jority rule all motions to limit de-
bate. In the senate that same Re
publican majority will be largely
theoretical for some of the western
Republicans already have shown
that they care very little about adj
miniStration measures or party
solidarity.
Only by a revision of the rules
to permit majority to adopt mo-
ton to limit debate can the Harding
administration hope to get through
any Of the important measures it
may sponsor in the next two years.
1t was by popular campaign
against Cannonism and the arbi-
trary character of the house rules
that change was made in the
the. presidents party who believe
to public sentiment to bring about
a change in the senate.
AS matters stand now six or an
even smaller group can block ac-
ton by the senate on any measure
they oppose simply by using up the
time in debate in relays. And one
more than a third of the senate can
always prevent the passage Of a
motion by the remainder of the
senate to limit debate.
The principal opponents of any
radical change in the senate rules
have been southern Democrats. The
latter have felt that the right of
unlimited debate alone prevents the
enactment of a So-called force bill'
to extend the rights of the negro
in the south. 1t was u filibuster of
southern Democrats which killed
the anti-lynching bill which passed
the house, but which was abandon
ed by tho Republicans after t1ey
were convinced the entire time of
the senate would be taken up by a
Democratic filibuster unless the
measure was put aside
G. o. =. Champions Change
The Republicans, therefore, are
Of senate rules. Without a popular
demand for it, however. the vote
would be taken along party lines
and it is conceded that with the
decreased strength in the next con-
gress the move would have little if
any chance of success. 1t would not
be surprising, however, to see Presi-
dent Harding campaign for such a
change and make it one of the domi-
nant issues of his next speaking
tour.
He already has said that some way
must be found to permit the ma
jority to rule. He has not suggested
what kind of a change in senate
procedure he would favor. Mr.. Mon
dell has just finished his service in
the house and has become d mem
Der of the War Finance corporation,
but his position as Republican lead
or permits him to make a RETROSPECT
tive criticism. In fact, his entire
statement of the legislative record
of the last congress is accepted here
as the fOrerunner of further state
ments upon which the strategy of
the 1924 campaign will be based.
There is alrea V an anticipation of
more obstructive tactics in the next
congress, so that a shifting of re-
sponsibiity to the minority would
ton. More will be heard about the
senate rules from now on. Mr.. Mon,
delIs speech was keynote of the