The broad ax., 1926-06-19
cIoture Rule stirs Senate

Cloture Rule Stirs Senate
Great was the concern of southern
senator's when one Of their leaders,
Senator Underwood, Of Alabama, arose
from his seat last Friday and advocated
asuch alteration Of the rules of proce-
d,re Of the United States Senate as
will prevent prompt transaction of the
Nations legislative business" A bevy
Of opponents were quickly upon their
feet Directing to any revision of Senate
rules which would make the 6libuster
impossible or. expedite the passage OF
important measures,
The days Of the Henry Cabot Lodge
Force Bill" were recalled by sena-
+orial orators; and it was recollected
that during its advent "men from the
South stood like pillars of granite to
defend their people with their
strength" Morgan, Of Alabama;
George, of Mississippi; Vest, of Mis-
souri,; Blackburn, of Kentucky; and
others Of olden days were visualized
contending for the stoppage of any
rule which might infringe upon the
legislative dreams of Dixieland.
However, it was Senator HeAin, OF
Alabama, who finally revealed just why
the Lodge Force Bill was so distaste-
ful to the Southland; and, further, just
why any cloture rule of modern times,
which would put the filibuster under
lock and key and otherwise OUTLAW
surpausage, immateriality, and incoher-
ence from the Senate, could not pos
sibly be condoned. Here is Senator
Helms reason: eff the Force Bill had
been passed, Federal officers with their
bavonets would have held elections in
every precinct of the South. Negroes
drunk on their new-found freedom,
would have made conditions intoler-
able for the southern white man and
his family. Thank God, the Senate
rule that existed then and enabled
Senator Morgan and others to save the
South in those bitter and terrible days
still adorns the pages of this august
body's parliamentary procedure. do
not know how soon it may be neces-
sary to invoke that rule again. We
have with us the Negro problem. The
white people of the South are handling
this Negro problem as best we can,
and we feel that the right thinking
people of the North do not want to
disturb US. The South believes in
white supremacy and she will uphold
and sustain it at any cost. Our own
welfare and the general welfare Of the
Nation depend upon it, and ] cannot
consent for the South to be deprived
Of the power which she now has TO
protect and preserve all that is dear in
life"
Thus endeth the cloture suggestion.
The burning embers Of hatred have
destroyed the bridge of legislative
progress. Filibusters can thrive and
sand can be thrown upon the rails OF
good government, all because all the
governed are still to be denied full
voice in the affairs of Government.
The ballot in Alabama and her sister
States, anti-lynching activities, educa-
tional equality, and the right to life
Of peace-these virtues are all right if
kept in their right legislative place,
which means everybody, everything,
excepting the black millions of the
Solid South
Kentucky on Trial
The Blue Grass State is passing
through some Of the many acid tests Of
interracial relationships to determine
whether peace and good will, or sus-
picions and antipathies shall be the
hnal precipitate of the melting pot of
the races. Two of Kentucl1y's fore
most citizens, William Marley and ].
Willis Cole, newspaper editors, pub
hcists. and, above all. iaw-abiding
citizens Of indomitable courage, have
been indicted for criminal libel by the
Hopkins County Grand Jury, growing
out Of published statements relating
10 the trial of certain Negro alleged
murderers, whose sentence has been
temporarily stayed, and who have a
Splendid chance for ultimate freedom,
after the Supreme Court Of Appeals
mas reviewed the case. Along with this
inferracial episode, and inspired, no
doubt, by past events in Kentucky,
Which have been fraught with i'll tenn
per and misunderstanding, Louisville
: staging drive for 10000 members
10 join the National Association for
me Advancement of Colored People,