Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-07
Campaign in No Way Abated
Since Court Debate Limit,
Vice President Says.
REVISION NEED is MORE
APPARENT, HE ASSERTS
Calls on Public to Get Behind Fight
to Bring Desperately
Vital Changes.
BY the Associated Press.


PHILADELPHIA. February g.
Any doubts as to whether the recent
action of the Senate in cutting off de
bate on the World Court would serve
to still Vice President Dawes's cam.
paign for amendment Of the Senate
rules were dispelled tonight by a pro,
nouncement on the subject from MIR
Dawes.
Addressing the Manufacturers Club
At a dinner, the SenateS presiding of
iicer said recent events in that body
make opportune the discussion cot
some immediate forward step" for rule
changes desperately needed in the
public interest"
While declaring that he still favored
rule whereby a ma jority instead of
twO-thirds vote could cut off debate,
Mr.. Dawes said he was willing to sup
port some plan which may possibly
invoke less determined opposition al
present than does the proposition of
full ma jority cloture.'
Asks United Support.
eff there is such a step" he said.
AL sincere supporters of improvement
in the present defective rules should
unite in support of it as being in the
right direction.
Il believe recent occurrences in the
Senate have made clear TO the public:
THAT the two-thirds ma jority neces-
sary to close debate under the pres
ent rules cannot be secured. the ma
jority of the Senate is largely al the
mercy of minorities and individuals
who may desire To obstruct it's bust
ness.
THAT while the closing OF debate by
a two-thirdS vote under the preSe mt
rules would sometimes protect the
public interest against those who
would obstruct purely business meas
ures like tax and appropriation bills,
it cannot operate when a ma jority
less than two-thirds desires a vote in
order to exercise its constitutional
right to pass such bills. Under these
circumstances tax and appropriation
bills can be indefinitely postponed by
minority obstructionists.
Sees Vital Bills Stopped.
THAT if in the case of tax and ap-
preparation bills alone. which are
purely business measures. a ma jority
cloture rule providing for ample OPP
portunity for every Senator to be
heard can be adopted it will prevent
the holding up of appropriation and
revenue bills by individuals and mi
norities seeking to coerce the majority
into legislative concessions.
That such a rule will destroy the
power of individuals and minorities
in the short session to force the
President Of the United States, as has
often happened in the past, to call
extra sessions of Congress in order to
secure the means to keep the ma
chinery of the Government in func-
tioning activity.
That in connection with the purely
business measures of taxation and
appropriation, in which the American
people have the greatest interest.
their interest will not then be sub
ordinated to the right of minority
Senators to prolong talk unduly and
frivolously.'
Warns of General Ignorance.
The Vice President said public
ignorance Of the real situation, re-
sulting in public Indifference to cloture
in the Senate. lis the curtain behind
which the minority works its will
In concluding, he declared a
minority in the Senate at times exer-
cised "a power greater than the veto
power of the President Of the United
States"
Seven times during the last eight
sessions Of Congress" he said. has
1t been necessary for the President to
call an extra session of Congress in
order to keep the machinery Of the
Government in functioning activity.
compelled to do so by individuals or
minorities.
When individuals and minorities in
the Senate possess power under Senate
rules to render impotent at times the
Government itself. these rules should
be revised in the interest Of constitu-
tional majority rights and the rights
of the American people"