The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-03-06
Our Government
How Il Operates
WHY THE SENATE?
BY William Bruck0rt

4
he can go on and on with his speech;
he can talk about anything he de-
sires to discuss, except to cast as
pensions on fellow senators or mem
bers of the house, and his state
ments may not be challenged in a
court of law.
Senators are jealous of their pre-
rogatives. They are constantly on
watch against any move that threat
ems to limit debate. Though they
appear to waste hours or days, and
even weeks, by careless discussion
and repetition, every effort has
failed to change the basic formula
IF unlimited debate. And it is well
that no change ever has been
accomplished, for In that very fact
there is a measure of safety for the
country that is often forgotten.
| Whereas the house of representa-,
lives. partly because of its great
numbers, but more particularly be.
cause OF the shorter term of mem.
bers, is. quite susceptible to public
reaction on whatever public qnes-
ton absorbs attention at the mo.
ment, the contrary is generally the
case liz the senate. l do not mean
that the senate goes against the
viii of the people. or that it stands
out against apparent needs of the
nation. 1t is responsive always in
the end, but it moves more slowly
because additionally 1t has given
more thorough consideration to
every question In an open exchange
of views than is ever possible in
! the house with its larger member
ship.
Thus, it can be seen readily that
the senate acts as a check against
too hasty action. Legislation can
not possibly be rushed through the
senate without extensive debate I'M
less everybody Is in an accord as to
the need therefor.
But consider how the unlimited
debate arrangement operates, or
may operate, for your good and
mine. Take the matter of declara-
ton of war. The house would re-
ceive a message from the President,
would refer the matter to a COM
mittee, and would have the neces.
sary resolution back before it and
act on 1t possibly within two or
three days. Not so In the senate.
Its committee might quickly report
its findings and recommend passage
of the resolution declaring a state
| of war in existence. Senators, how
| ever, who doubted the advisabiiity
| of the course would not allow pre-
| cipitate action. Such was the case
in the declaration of war against
Germany in 1917. There were the
"wilful twelve" you will recall.
They thought a declaration of war
was improper, and they blocked nc
tion. In that instance. however, the
sentiment of the country was over
whelming and vote was reached
more quickly than ordinarily hap.
/, pens.
In the case of the treaty of Yer
sailles and the covenant of the
League of Nations, the situation
was different. President Wilson rec
commended ratification of the treaty
| and adherence TO the League. New
| ertheless. some of the senators
thought the sentiment OF the eoun.
try had not crystalized. Debate
proceeded, unlimited debate, 1t con.
tinued for weeks. Newspapers Of
the country took sides. The coun.
try was fully Informed, and event
ually the proposal to join the
League of Nations was so qualified
that 1t was a nullity.
So the senate moves slowly. II
wastes lot of time; OF that there
can be no doubt. Moreover, at times
It appears almost stubborn, because
of its apparent do-nothing attitude.
| Yet therein is strength for the ma
tion and It's citizens for the posi-.
bility of ill-considered action Is
eliminated.
Another reason may be men.
toned, explanatory of the slow-moy.
ing procedure in the senate. SEM.
tors are elected by the entire voting
population of their state. and for q
term of six years. They are not
quite as close to the rank and Ole
| of the citizens as are the rcpresen.
tatives. 1t was contemplated by the
Constitutions trainers that they
should have more of a national view.
| point. They are United States sen.
ators. despite the fact that fire.
/ quently one of them becomes moth.
Ing more than a state senator In his
efforts TO do things his state or a
section of his state desires.
One.third Of the senate always
has six years to plan for re election /;
one-third OF the membership need
not worry about campaigning for
four years. and the remainder faces
election two years hence. From this
Il Is TO be seen that the election Is
far enough away for majority Of
the senators that they can put aside
much Of the necessary political
fence-buIlding. Not that any Of
them eTer overlook politics. That
would be - Impossible as q digit
10 the moon. unless the individual
decided to retire voluntarily, bat
the game Of politics In the senate