Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-04
DAWES WILL TOUR
III. S. IN RULES FIGHT
Vice President to Support
CIcture by Majority on
Financial Measures.

| Far from having abandoned his
4 fight for q change in the Senate rules
so that a majority Of that body may
be able to close debate. Vice President
| Charles G. Dawes will make a num-
| Der Of speeches in different parts of
the country this Summer and Fall III
| favor of such a change. The dates
and places have not yet been de-
| termined upon.
q The Vice President will direct his
fire particularly in the interest of an
amendment to the rules which would
provide for majority cloture on APP
preparation and revenue raising bills
the measures which are required to
| keep the business of the Federal Gov
| eminent running.
| Such an amendment will meet less
| opposition in the Senate than the
original proposal to have majority clio.
| ture for all kinds of bills that come
| before that body.
The Senate and the country had an
| object lesson OF what unlimited deDate
| will do to the business Of the Senate
| during the closing hours of yester-
days session. Senator Cameron OF
| Arizona conducted a one-man Mi
buster, preventing other Senators
| from getting consideration OF meas
ures which they considered of great
importance The hour for adjourn
ment of the session had been set and
all Senator Cameron had to do was
to continue speaking until the session
ended.
During the session of Congress,
which begins next December and ends
March "A So-called short session
the Vice President expects there VIII
be still other examples of what may
be done in way of preventing legis-
lation.
Present Provision.
Under the present rules of the Sen
ate, debate can be closed by two
thirds vote. But frequently 1T is not
possible to obtain a two-thlrds vote
for cloture, particularly if the meas
ure under consideration is IL party
measure Only twice has the two
thirds cloture been invoked, once on
the Versailles treaty of peace. winch
was defeated when the vote was
finally taken. and during the present
session on the World Court resolution,
which was agreed TO.
The power of holding up appro-
priation and revenue bills is now
used frequently to wiring legislative
concessions from the majority.
stroy the power of individuals and
minorities IN the short session of
Congress to force the President to
call extra sessions of Congress, as
has happened in the past. because
some of the general appropriations
have failed to pass before the hour OF
adjournment.
Even If such rule be adopted.
there would still remain unlimited de
bate on all other legislative measures
and upon treaties with foreign gov
elnments. The rights of the minor
ity. it is insisted, would be fully pro-
tected.
Changes i'm South.
Opposition to majority cloture has
come particularly from the South
ern Senators, who fear that such a
rule might he invoked by an oppos1-
ton intent upon forcing laws on the
South which they do not favor. The
specter OF the old Lodge force Dill,
which only a filibuster in the Senate
killed many years ago, rises frequent
~ to plague them.
But industry and business have in
creased enormously in the South.
That section of the country Is Nltaily
concerned with the proper business
South, the Vice President feels. VIII
not be opposed to a Senate rule when
will insure prompt action on purely
business measures.
Under existing rules a minority o..
the Senate can hold up or block IN
definitely the passage of tax bill
which may he greatly needed. II
there was a difference Of opinion as
TO some details of a tax bill and the
vote was at all close. it would now
be impossible for a majority to force
81 vote on the measure.
The abuse of the power to debate
without limit results much more ire
ouently in obtaining concessions
which a majority of the Senate may
consider unwise-demanded py mi
norities. than in the actual holding
up of legislation.
During the session just closed. the
Vice President has RETAINED from
making public speeches regarding the
Senate rules. except in the case of a
speech which was broadcast over
the radio, early in the session. His
structure on the rules led to bitter
criticisms of the Vice President by
Senators speaking from the floor.
among them Senator Reed of Mis-
souri,, Democrat.