Evening star., 1925-12-14
Senator Confers at White
House on Plans for Conduct
ing Fight in Chamber.
OTHER PARTY LEADERS
WILL EXPLAIN PROGRAM
Cloture Rule to Be Invoked If
Threat of Fihbuster Be-
comes Evident.

President Coolidge feels hopeful on
the outcome of the World Court bat
tie, which will start Thursday, White
House spokesmen made clear today,
and he is much interested at this
time in just how the administra
ton leaders will handle the situa.
tlon. To satisfy himself that the
leadership has properly planned for
this fight, he has arranged several
conferences with Senators between
now and the time the World Court
resolution comes up for consideration
in the Senate
The first of these was held at the
White House today with Senator
Willis of Ohio, who is a strong sup
porter of the proposed American ad.
herence to the World Court. While
Mr.. Willis said he could not discuss
tor publication the nature of this con-
ference, he said he assured the Presi-
dent that there are enough votes now
pledged to give positive assurance
that the resolution will be adopted.
The President is understood to be
especially anxious to know just what
the Republican leadership in the Sen.
ate intends to do in the matter of
guiding debate and to ward off pos
NipiC oil Tic pdl VI Ol'
ponents.
Guard Against Filibuster.
Very recently the President dis
cusSed the important phase of the
matter with Senator Lenroot of Wis.
consin, who will be one of the party
leaders in maneuvering the fight.
Since this conference, Senator Len
root has let il be known that when
the fight opens, the leadership will
invoke the cloture rule in case there
is any threatening filibustering
Whether or not this step was decided
upon after learning the views of the
President is not known in quarters
where the subject was being discussed
today. But those close to the PreSi-
dent have no hesitancy in saying that
il would be natural to suppose that
President Coolidge. while desiring a
free discussion of this protocol, is
anxious to see the leadership pre-
pared to meet the attacks of the OPP
ponents, particularly if their tactics
suggest fihbustering.
Opponents of the World Court
protocol give evidence of welcoming
the invoking of the cloture rule. Muz-
zling is what they call it. They rea
son that to put this rule into effect
would at least result in bringing out
an early test vote. 1t is their con-
tention that there are a large num-
ber of Sena tors who have expressed
their intention of voting for the pro-
tocol, but would be opposed to chok-
ing off debate, because they are of the
opinion that the protocol should be
only after full and complete
discussion.
Claims Votes to Snare
Senator Willis said with emphasis
that the administration has votes to
spare over and above the required
two thirds needed to adopt this reSo-
luton. He said he looked for plenty
of speaking upon the subject when it
up. but as for invoking the
cloture rule he had nothing to say
The Ohio Senator is of the opinion
that the World Court protocol has
won many friends during the past
few months, because some Senators
who were reluctant to support the
idea at first have come to the CON
Clusion that there will be no connect
ing link between adhesion to the
World Court and the League of Ma
tions. Entering the court cannot be
taken as a gesture of acceptance to-
ward the league.
vocating the World Court, is himself
an opponent of the league idea, as
are a number of other Senators. most.
ly Republicans, who have lined up
with the administration in connection
with this protocol. In their opinion
the league does not enter this prop.
osition, and they assert that those
who are declaring that the World
Court Is tied up with the league and
our entering the former will result
in our entering the league are merely
to defeat the court.