The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-01-30
Editorial Comment
What Next For ClOture?
Chicago Tribunc)

H. took the cloturc rule to get the United States
into the world court The situation was getting
desperate for the pro-courters. Day by day they
were losing ground in the senate as the sentiment
against the court Throughout the country was be-
ginning to make itself felt. 1t cloture or de-
feat.
The success of the application Of cloture in this
instance shows that Vice President Dawes has
exaggerated the need for revision of the senate
rules Here was the very )ast measure upon which
debate should have been cut off, yet it was found
possible under the present rules Of the senate to
force the issue to vote.
We can find little if anything, to justify cloture
in debate Oh international affairs The Vice Pres
ident himself does not favor it. treaty Is as
binding on our government as an amendment to
the constitution, and often as permanent. Re-
garding the world court there was need for
haste Our country and the rest of the world
could have gone about their business satisfactorily
if the decision had been delayed for weeks or
months. If the right of the senate to gag its men,
bers in such circumstances is admitted, we do not
sec how senator's can consistently refuse to limit
debate any other matter.
Take the matter of the so-called Dyer anti
lynching BILL which has been reintroduced by Sen
ator Mckinley of Illinois. Southern senator's de-
feated the bill in the last congress by flibuster
They cannot consistently pursue the same tactics
at this session with the precedent of their own
votes the world court cloturc to guide them.
Senator Harrison that precedent in the max
ing and struggled unsuccessfully against it. Sim
ary, middle western senator's with tremendous
interest in the defeat of the Gooding bill, which is
designed to- rob this section of its far western
markets, cannot consistently delay vote the
bill until public opinion has been thoroughly
aroused
Cloture forced upon the senate largely by
pressure from men Of wealth who, for reason
or another, want this country to join the court.
They may live to regret the establishment of the
precedent They may find themselves the chief
victims of it, for they more vulnerable than
other citizens of the country. Their property
rights secure in small degree because of
the slow and orderly processes through which leg
islation must 60 If legislative haste becomes fash
icnable these Of wealth may find themselves
at the mercy Of popular passions. The income
tax amendment makes them peculiarly vulnerable.
They have seen the property rights Of brewers and
distillers denied by congress and they have seen
the injunction invoked to prevent any possible
restitution OF those property rights. The right
Of injunction can be denied we'll as conferred.
Our men of property, who baked at nothing to
push the world court resolution through, may find
their opponents baking at nothing to deny prop
erty the right to protection by injunction in labor
disputes.
We do not take the position that the senate
should be at the mercy Of an intransigeant minor
ty on all issues. We do not favor unlimited debate
on routine bills. We think the conclusion is un-
escapable, however, that the senate has estab-
shed its precedent Of cloture in the worst possi-
bic case With its action on the world court be-
hind It the senate has abandoned its chief claim ID
recognition Is great deliberativc assembly vi
y on the road - becoming legislative mill With
quantity production g it, chief end. II II.