Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-07-02
HOUSE MEMBERS
CAUTIOUS ON VOTE
Prefer Teller System in
Utilities Fight Due to
Great Pressure.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

The spotlight Of national scrutiny
might well be turned on what Is
happening in the House Of Repre-
sentatives with respect to the system
of voting, especially as evidenced on
the utility holding company bill.
Normally there's record vote on
important measures, but so strong
were the threats of punishment from
the White House and so severe the
process of political intimidation that,
in voting without pressure and with
out a record of individual votes, the
majority Of the House showed that
regulation was preferred to destruc-
ton of utility holding companies.
There are three kinds Of voting
systems In the House "a voice vote,
which is usually taken on unimpor-
tant matters and can be turned into
a record vote if doubt exists as to
which side won; a vote by tellers,
whereby members file past the
Speakers desk and are counted
rapidly as they go past in groups,
and a record vote, in which the roll
Is called and the member answers
to his name by AYE" or may"
Will Press for Record Vote.
The administration has been in
sisting on a record vote SO as to put
insurgent members ION the spot. u
The rules of the House are such that
roll-can votes can be limited. The
administration promptly after yes
terday's vote announced its inten-
ton Of pressing for record vote be-
fore the measure goes to con-
ference"
The purpose of such a step, OF
course, Is to inf1ict reprisals on any
members who voted against the Presi-
dents wishes. There are lots of ways
to terrortze members. One Is to
refuse to allow public works funds
to 60 to their districts. This dimin-
ishes a members prestige and in
fiuence back home. With $4,000
100000 fund to disburse in year
especially just before election, it takes
kind Of courage lacking in many
politicians to refuse to stand by the
executive dispenser of favors. Also
Congressman finds that If he
doesn't toe the mark the administra-
ton will appoint his political foes
inside the party to misunderstanding
and other Federal jobs, and this often
leads to the grooming of an ad-
ministration candidate to oppose the
1nsurgent member in the party
primaries.
Rumors Fill the Air.
The House chamber and cloak rooms
have been the scene of extraordinary
pressure of this kind for several days
Rumors Of promises of Federal jobs
and favors have been in the air anc
matter of common gossip. But with
out a record vote the administration
spoilers cannot tell which members
stood with the President on the death
sentence in the holding company bill
and which ones did not. Nor coulC
the utility lobbyists tell either. Fol
they could not know except by roll
call whether the men who had indi.
Gated their opposition to the death
sentence would stand the same In the
voting or switch.
If the 216 to 146 vote against the
"death sentence" clause were to bt
overturned by a record vote, it woulc
mean that the members voted theil
convictions In the first instance, but
were politically bludgeoned into voting
with the administration by intimida-
ton and threats.
But the administration has one acc
In the hole. There will be five mem.
bers Of the Conference Committee
from the House and five from the
Senate. These 10 men will consider
the House bill and the Senate bill. Il
the administration can bring pressure
on at least three Of the i've House
conferees, the Conference Committee
will adopt the Senate bill, which con-
tains the death sentence" for utility
holding companies.
Conferees to Be Watched.
When the conference report Is pre-
scented to both houses 1t Is usually a
case Of take 1t or leave 1t; that Is
the members must decide whether
they prefer no holding company bill
at all or bill with the death SEN
tence" in 1t.
Obviously ON such a vote many
members would vote for the bill with
the destructive features in 1t, because
otherwise they would have to face the
cry of political opponents that they
voted against having any bill enacted
to regulate holding companies. And
there is, Of course, a widespread senti-
ment for some kind of bill to elm
mate evil features Of holding company
operations.
The chances are that this particular
Conference Committee will be under
the watchful eyes Of the whole coun-
try, and that the House of Repre-
sentatives may take the unusual ster
Of refusing to agree to a conference
report If its own conferees &c back on
the majority vote of the House.
Copyright. 1850