Montana labor news., 1935-04-25
A CONGRESSMAN
COMMENTS
By Hon. Joseph P. Monaghan
April 20, 1885.
MORE ABOUT SOCIAL


E(ONE l.
Social security legislation is so i'm
portant that none other was consid-
cred during the last ter days. All else
has been dropped by the House, and
even II Committee has suspended con-
sideration OF the Utility Bill pending
outcome of the discussion.
The House defeated this week all
liberal pensions, every n OF which
received my support-the McGroarty
Bill, the Lundeen Bill and the Green
way proposal. One thing, at least, was
accomplished by the fight which we
waged on the gag rule"-an opportu-
nifty to present, although in a limited
way, the various proposals. Sneering
at liberal pensions subsidized and a de-
gree of respect was accorded. My ef-
fort to amend the Doughton Security
Bill, which is nothing but a pauper's
dole, by inserting the McGroarty Bill,
was defeated So to zoo, a moral vic
tory for a bill that had virtually no
Congressional support two months ago.
| could not honestly vote for the Ad-
ministration bill, a pretense at pension
ing and delude and disrespect the
aged. The battle has not been lost
yet at this Session, thanks to the Con-
%stitution which wisely provides for two
separate Legislative bodies-the House
and Senate, thus enabling either body
to act as a check upon the other in the
interest of protecting the peoples
rights.
Last week those Of us who are inter-
ested in liberalized old age pensions,
including outstandingly Congressman
Lundeen of Minnesota, William Con-
merry and Marcantonio of New York,
led the fight on the Floor to obtain a
wide open rule. 1t was during this
battle that | received two outstanding
titles, "demagogue," and admiral" l
resent the latter than the former,
as a man who believes in peace and is
opposed to war activities. The for
mer, however, has been applied to many
men, "the latchet of whose shoes / am
unworthy to loose" including Him who
they said Stirred up the people" and
last of the group the men who occu-
pies the White House at the present
moment. Understood in its etymolo-
logical sense, being derived from two
Greek words, it means a leader of the
people. 1t has come, therefore, to have
the more glorious meaning OF one in
sympathy with the people and willing
to fight for their rights.
Since newspaper accounts were
necessarily limited, l quote from the
Congressional Record, because l be-
leve you are interested in knowing
just what did occur.
Mr.. Monaghan. "This matter of So
cial security is one in which l am
''saif interested and have interested
gress, and | my first session in Con
tbis rule to the eXPterested myself on
every Member Of the Hodsularizing
not permitted to speak upon it, lt'@-
nv constitutional right that my con
stituents may be heard here. lhat IS
denied"
r,aLe tbe MONT of order that the gen
elena. rom Montana under the guise
o1 raising a question Of personal privi-
lege, is making a speech to his con-
stituents in behalf of the Townsend
plan"
Mr.. Blanton. 81 make the point OF
order, unless the gentleman from New
York (Mr. OiConnor) withdraws the
word '~demagogic' that the statement OF
the gentleman from New York (Mr
IO'Connor) that the gentleman from
Montana (Mr. Monaghan was making
"a demagogic speech is out of order.
1t attributes improper motives to the
gentleman from Montana, who, l think.
is earnest and sincere, and I ask that
those words, "a ~demagogic speech be
taken down, as used by the gentleman
from New York (Mr. O'Connor), I'M
less the gentleman sees fit to with
draw them"
After thinking it over, evidently rea-
lizing hat he was injuring his cause
more than helping it, Mr.. O'Connor
r virtually apologized insofar as possible
for his remark and withdrew the same
from the Record and shortly afterwards
yielded me three minutes.
My contention of personal privilege
was based upon the historical signifi-
canoe of preventing inference with at
: tendance of a Member. The Jefferson
Manual states: when a Representa-
I, tive is Withdrawn from his seat, the
10000 people whom he represents lose
5 their voice in debate and vote as they
do upon his voluntary absence" SINH
larly, when a man is prevented from
giving expression to his views by the
arbitrary action Of a single Member
Directing to his unanimous consent re-
quest, the rights Of his constituents
s are, thereby, enfringed.
y The point of order relative to the
= privilege of the House was taken on
the ground that a question of the privi-
e lege Of the House may be raised when
its safety, dignity and integrity Of its
proceedings are involved. As a prac-
8 teal matter, with only an hour for de-
: bate and a half hour yielded to the
y Democratically controlled Republican
e minority and no time allotted to mer
= who conscientiously opposed the rule
s not only was personal privilege en-.
e fringed, but the privileges of the
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