Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-14
Dawes Rules Fight Stronger
Through Deadlock of Senate

one man or two men can hold up the
entire Senate hour after hour, and
keep it from transacting the business
of the Nation, something is wrong
somewhere" The Great Falls Tribune
Democratic) declares: 1.-THE whole pro-
ceedings are a shame and disgrace 10
the Senate. and make it evident that
Vice President Dawes is correct when
he SAYS that Senate rules need revi-
sion. " The Utica Dispatch
independently contends that ito con-
tinue to operate under such a system
is a confession of weakness" The
Worcester Telegram republican, re-
fers to 1.-The ponderously silly rules OF
the Senate" and the Flint Daily Jour
nal independently is of the opinion that
probably the filibuster can be used no
more mischievously than at the close
of a congressional session"
THE Senators who have opposed
any material change in the Senate
rules were the ones who made use OF
the filibuster. which has become sort
of blackmail," charges the Los Angeles
Times independent Republican,. which
goes on to say: lone has but to read
over a list of important legislation,
already passed by the House, which
failed of passage on account OF the
filibuster, to appreciate the damage
that has been DONE" The Louisville
Courier-Journal Democratic) insists
that corruption in it's last ditch
caused the casualties" and that paper
remarks: "A militant and adept mi
nority takes the credit for the events
by which the Sixty-ninth Congress will
be remembered, and at the close had
administration leaders blocking legisla-
ton by a filibuSter against a resolu-
ton to continue the warfare on fraud"
X X ~
Opposed to these comments is that
of the Lynchburg News Democratic).
which maintains that events have
proved that the cloture rule can be
made effective because ii has been
made very effective in two instances.S
The News favors abolition of the short
session as a remedy for recent evils.
The Omaha World-Herald Gndepend-
enO says that take it all in all, itpis
an open question if Senate talk hasn't
been better for the country than
House action" That paper declares:
1.-THE House has it's own peculiar
method of sitting legislation. even
against the will of a non-partisan ma
jority. One need look no further for
an example than is offered by Senator
Norris lame duck amendment TO the
CONSTITUTION. 1nTce IlIIlcS I0dL IeSO-
luton has passed the Senate, only to
be put in cold storage in the House.
There is no reasonable likelihood that
this amendment would meet serious
opposition If given a free and fair
chance, but 1t is kept safely preserved
in committee because that is the will
of small coterie of leaders,
eff remedy is really wanted for the
filibustering habit" advises the Mem
phis Press Scimitar independently, "the
present short session of Congress
should. be abolished" The Peoria
Transcript independently agrees that
1.-The short session of Congress consti-
tutes a real menace and is chiefly re-
sponsible for filibusters and abuses OF
Senate rules" The Seattle Times Qnde-
pendent Republican, states: 1T is a
debatable question whether filibusters
do any actual harm. Whether
one likes filibusters or condemns them
depends largely upon whose legisla-
ton is blocked"
The Springfield Union Republican,
believes: 1.-The senatorial Character
that makes action by unanimous con.
sent possible has passed. What we
have now is not the historic Senate.
not the greatest deliberatiye bodv on
earth-but a VIGOROUSLY ana incurab,v
political hody."