The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-09-12

N
and jest because Of
its rule permitting unlimited debates.
Time after time long senate speeches
have been the object of editorial at
tack in one segment or another or
American metropolitan newspapers.
Its slow, torroise-like methods have
been held up 10 ridicule in spoken and
written word innumerable times. and
its procedure remains unchanged.
II was no occasion for surprise.
therefore, when 3 new outburst of
criticism Of senate rules Of procedure
was launched upon Us Immediately
after the last session of congress adj
journed. Senator Huey P. Long Of
Louisiana. the seIf-styled kingfsh,
broke loose as he has so many times
broken loose and effectively tied sen
ate plans in q knot He did the very
thing thar has precipitated criticism
Of the senate through all Of the years
mentioned above and succeeded in a
one-man flibuster in blocking passage
Of an appropriation bill Indeed, be
was so effective in his job that he
brought down on his head the wrath
Of President Roosevelt and all Of the
New Dealers who were about 70
realize elimination Of some Of their
most cherished dreams.
While the Long flibuster probably
should be criticized because undOubted-
" there was some unfairness about IL
the reason II takes on more Importance
at this time is because il placed so
many of the New Dealers in a state
Of high dudgeon mentally and because
il again conferred attention upon these
same senate rules
By way Of preliminary explanation.
I believe il ought 70 be said that no
organized body can operate effective
" or orderly without first binding
itself TO adhere 10 rules of procedure
that viii give each an opportunity.
These rules. in the case of the senate,
are very old 1t may be said they
are antiquated and obsolete; surely
some will take that view of them. But
nevertheless those are the rules and
the senate has been able for q good
many years to produce satisfactory
legislative results under them
I do not propose here to say that
they should be revised or that the pres
ent rules should be retained. But I do
believe that before changes are made
and before those who propose changes
spread too much ballyhoo. the country
should understand some Of the reasons
which acruate the present urge
The kingfsh spoke for nearly six
hours on the closing night of the ses-
sion. He could not
Longs be prevented from
Filibuster speaking after he
was once recognized
by the presiding officer. He told the
senate he was battling for a govern
ment loan rate on cotton of L cents
per pound whereas the administra ton
was proposing TO make the rate either
nine or ten cents per pound. The SEN
ate had placed an amendment on an
appropriation bin TO carry out the idea
of twelve cents a pound and had put
up the proposition 10 the house Of rep
resentatiyes which showed no signs of
agreeing at all until Mr.. Roosevelt took
a hand and suggested the compromise
Of ten cents a pound. All that re-
NAMED was formal vote of the SEN
ate to put the administration plan into
effect. Senator Long decided II should
not be and he proceeded TO lick the
administration single-handedly by con-
tinuing his ilibuster until the mid
night hour when the congress was TO
adjourn finally.
In blocking the administration CON-
promise, Senator Long also defeated
appropriation OF something Ike $780,
100000 which the administration was
going TO use in setting up machinery
under its so-called security laws. the
Guffey bin for regulation of the soft
coal industry and the bond ereateI
theoretically to settle labor disputes
All Of these bills were pressed hard
by the administration, if one had nor
had its antagonists in congress. They
were and are strictly New Deal meas
ures. As result of the Long fiIibus-
ter none Of them can be made fully
operative until congress convenes
again next January and apprOpriates
the money. So, il can be seen how the
pride of the New Deal professors was
wounded II can be seen likewise
why they, along with the President did
so much squawking about the Long
fIibuster. Senator Long was an ideal
goat for the situation.
II is not my privilege nor is II
within my power to say whether the
legislation which Sem
unnecessary ator Long virtually
Barking nullifed is SO i'm
portant that five
months of delay is the difference be
tween life and death in this country.
Indeed, / cannot see any reason for
all of the haste that is exemplified
by the shouts and the criticisms sud
denly brought forth because of that
filibusfer. The bills which were brought
TO final passage only a few DAYS be-
fore adjournment had been languish-
ing in congress since last January
The President had repeatedly urged
their enactment but the congress saw
fl to delay. Consequently in various
quarters in Washington l heard the
inquiry as to why so much damage can
be done by delays of FIVE months when
there had been delays of seven months
preceding enactment of the measures
Some of the more vifriolic among the
New Deal critics even went so far as
10 inquire why all of the hullabaloo
over a delay of FIVE months when Mr..