New Britain herald., 1925-06-24
DAWES EXPLAINS
 PROPOSED RULES
Says He Wants to Take No
 Power From Senate

Manchester, N, H. June 24--'P)-- Vice President Dawes, address be- fore the Manchester Chamber of Commerce last night follows;
 "The purpose of reform in the present Senate rules Is not to de- rrl>e the minority Of an opportunity 10 be fully heard upon every pubic uucstion or to deprive them of any Of their constitutional rights.
 "Thc purpose is 10 take away rom the minority the right to hold up the majority, which continually results in legislative trades and bartcrs not in the interest of the public good,
 "These hartcrS gre made in large part secretly There Is no merit in the claim that the right of unimit- cd debate anu absence of proper cloturc bring complete publicity in- to the business of the Senate. on the contrary, it results in the necessity for the majority in. secret, time and time again. to buy off the minority or individuals by concessions in leg islatiye transactions, many Of which could not endure publicity without reflectng upon the motives of those cXacting them.
 Threats to hold up the business of the Senate unless concessions arc made in legislation in which indiNid- ual Senators have a political inter- est, have been openly and success fully made on the floor of the Sen ate itself. No one has more forCibly testified to this evil out of his per sonal experience than has Senator oscar w. Underwood, of Alabama, who says:
 Quotes Underwood
 "I had served with your pcrmls- sion for 20 years in the House oi Representatyes. had been the leader of that body: was responsi' hle for the legislative conduct of great party: and have gone to the conference table with Senate amend ments on my bll and convinced z conference.-the representatives o the Senate in confer ence-that theil amendments were wrong and thoI they would calmly tell me the! would not yield because a Senator So and So would talk the bill tt death if did not accept his amend ment. and with great governmental issues at stake, I have been compell ed to accept minor amendments t' great bills, that will not say Wer' graft but they were put there 10 the purpose of magnifyinS the I'm nortance of one man with his owl constituency. at inc point of jeop ;ardizing good legislation in Amer ica."
 Tn the attempt to change th senate rnles, we combat one of tn deepest instincts of selfish huma aatlIre-a desire to retain persona power and prerogatiNes. Human na ture, when there is involved the re lease of individual power for tn common good, is weak.
 EilibustcrinC Power.
 "The power of fiIibusterins and ( debate without limit of time, mad possible under the present detectiN rules of the senate. has produce such continuous and such scrlou ohstructions to legislation that sine May 1o. 1910, in 66 instances tn majority and minority leaders ot tl1 two parties have been compelled arrange for unanimous consent aGrc ments 10 enable the consideration important legislation. This mear that they must go like suppliants every individual member of the SCI ate to get his consent that the mi iority shall act on important legl Iation, and consider the condition in regard to other legislation whlc the individual senator may desire impose as the price of his agre' ment.
 Ut vas the great public resen ment which was aroused by flllou tcring in the 63rd congress, durlr 1914. in an effort of the minority prevent legislation by the majori which, in my judgment, led to Il only serious consideration Of retor in these rules which the senate h given in recent years. In that bdl congress. the river and harhor b had been debated fo g days; Il Panama Canal bill for 20 days; {! -lvton Attachments to the shermi Act for 21 days and the conferen report on the Clayton act for 3 day