Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-14

Majority opinion upholds the view
that the deadlock in which the United
States Senate found itself at the close
of the last session demonstrated the
wisdom of Vice President Dawes fight
for revision of the Senate rules. Some
observers still insist, however, that
the rules are adequate to meet any
vital situation, and that IN the mat
ter of defeating legislation desired by
a majority results are much the same
in the House, where rules are more
stringent.
Quoting Vice President Dawes clos
ing remarks as Congress adjourned
the Cincinnati Times-Star Republican
remarks: THUS the Vice President
returned to his text. The Senate itself
had involuntarily preached the sermon
in support of it. Moving from fill
buster to filibuster, passing sleepiess
nights without getting anywhere,
vainly invoking cloture when cloture
was unavailing, letting legislation on
which majorities had set their heart
go by the board, failing even to pass
an important appropriation Dill,
secretly infuriated by the growing
smile on the face of its presiding
officer, the greatest deliberative body
1
ing to a calamitouS finish. On a
certain historic occasion Dawes ar
rived at the Senate a few minutes
late: hence some of the doggerel about
his tardy ride written into the Con-
gressionaI Record. But at least the
Vice President had ride. Hitched to
the post by their own rules. the
eminent gentlemen who assalled MIN
never got started"
"Tf the esteemed United States Sen
ate had carefully rehearsed the entire
proceedings, with Vice President
Dawes in the role of stage manager, "
according to the Roanoke Times
nemocratic), sit could hardly have
put on a performance better calcu-
lated to serve the Vice President S
ends in the fight to which he is COM
mitted for reform of the Senate rules.
The filibuster which clogged the
wheels throughout the closing days
of the session. blocking the passage
of much important legislation, can
not fail to have the effect of center
ing national attention on the Dawes
campaign for revision of the rules. F"
The Indianapolis News independently
asserts that "such exhibitions bring
the subject closer home and make it
more apparent that Mr.. Dawes was
right in his demand that something
be done.
"Mr. Dawes smiles and says Il told
YOU So; he did, and he told the truth, p"
is the comment of the Adrian Tele-
gram independently. while the Column
bia Record Democratic) suggests that
1.-The filibuster has obviously pro-
vided ammunition for Vice President
Dawes" The Kansas City Journal
Republican) holds that ''if the Vice
President is not indulging in a few
sardonic grins he has larger meas
llre of control over natural impulses
than has been credited to him." The
New Orleans Item independent Demo
cratic) believes that "the net result,
by common consent, is great
strengthening of the campaign for
rules that will prevent such exhibit
tions by putting sane limits on mere
obstructive talk" The Passaic Her
aid independently says that when Mr.
Dawes goes to the country again with
his plea for a change in those rules
he ought to have a stronger body of
public opinion behind him."
Gen. Dawes was right" observes
the Albany Evening News dndepend.
emit Republican,. (Which adds When