Evening star., 1935-04-11
Special Rule Voted, 289 to
103, After Bitter Debate
on Issue.
ADOPTION OF gag"
CHARGED BY LIBERALS
Friends of Lundeen and Town
send Measures Score Proce-
dure Decreed in Vote.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

this afternoon adopted a special rule
for the consideration Of the admins
tration's economic security bill.
The vote was a victory for the ad-
ministration forces. The special rule
had been attacked by supporters of the
Townsend old-age pension plan and
of the Lundeen workers insurance bill.
who urged that the special rule be
voted down
Notwithstanding the fact that the
special rule fol consideration of the
economic security bill has been called
a 'wide-open" rule, it was vigorously
attacked when presented in the House
today by supporters of the Townsend
old-age pension plan and of the Lun-
deem workers bill
1t was charged by Representative
Lundeen. Farmer-Labor of Minnesota:
Representative Marcantonio of New
York and others that the special rule
would prevent the Offering of the
Townsend old-age pension bill or the
Lundeen DILL as amendments for the
measure reported by the Ways and
Means Committee. Instead of being
the liberal rule claimed by admins
tration leaders. these speakers in
sisted it blocked all possibility Of A
vote on the Townsend or the Lundeen
plans.
O'Conn0r States Position.
Representative O'Connor of New
York, chairman of the Rules Commit
tee. replied that he hoped both the
Townsend and Luideen plans would be
ruled in order as amendments to the
social security bill
I think the Townsend plan is ger
name" said O'Connor. and I hope
that the House will have an opportu-
nifty to vote on it and also on the LAM
deem bill. The parliamentarian of the
/ House has a number of proposed
amendments before him for investiga-
ton in regard to points of order which
may be made against them"
The debate over the rule on the
economic security bill got under way
with considerable bitterness. and the
prospect of a hard battle before the
bill is finally passed was manifest.
The special rule was defended by the
administration leaders. who insisted
that it was the only way to get the
bill considered by the House. since
it had no privileged status and other
wise would have to be taken up on a
calendar Wednesday with only one
hour of debate allowed.
Representative Knutsen. Republican,
of Minnesota was one of those who
claimed that the bill should have
been considered without the special
rule.
Sees Gag" Imposed.
There are three times as many
Democrats in the House as Repub-
licans. Progressives and Farmer
Laborites,' said Knutsen. "and yet
the Democrats could not be trusted
to pass this important measure with
out a gag rule being imposed"
Representative Marcantonio insisted
tnat the special rule should be voted
down if there was to be any oppor-
tunity to vote on the Townsend plan
or the Lundeen bill.
We are precluding the House from
voting on these two plans which have
been widely agitated throughout the
country. The House should have an
opportunity to vote these bills up or
down. The supporters of the ad-
ministrations bill. if this amendment
is adopted. have got this thing in
bag" Marcantonio said.
Representative Connery of Massa-
chuSetts. chairman of the Labor Com
mittee and a Democrat, pointed out
that his committee had reported IA
vorably the Lundeen bill to the House
and had asked the Rules Committee
for a special rule and had never re-
ceived any satisfaction.
Marcantonio insisted that:
This is the same old stack OF cards.
1t is not New Deal; it is new de-
luSion"
Lundeen Opposes Rule.
Representative Lundeen took up the
argument against the adoption of the
rule, agreeing with Marcantonio that
his bill could not be voted on as an
amendment to the pending bill.
When Representative Connery called
attention to the fact that the Rules
Committee had not done the Labor
Committee the courtesy of granting a
special rule to consider the Lundeen
bill, O'Connor said that in the Labor
Committee a motion had been made
to table the Lundeen bill and it failed
only on tie vote, to Z.
Then one of the members who had
voted to table the Lundeen bill left
the committee room," said O'Connor,
and then the bill was reported to the
House by a vote of to g."
F. O'Connor said that he had been
under the impression that Representa-
tive McGrOarty of California. who in
troduced the Townsend plan in bill
FORM had charge of that measure.
Monaghan in Charge.
But I see that the admiral from
Montana. Mr.. Monaghan, has become
the leader" said O'Connor, referring
to Monaghan's activity in favor of
a vote on the Townsend plan and
against the adoption of the special
rule.
I'VE are told that $4,000 900 persons
have signed petitions for this Town
send plan," said OConnor. There
are only about 100000 persons who
would receive pensions. The great
mass of the signers are children who
do not want to take care of their
parents any longer. but want the
Government to take over this burden"
The President has warned Congress
that it must not exceed the estimates
of cost of the social security program
for the coming year. The amount to
be appropriated for the year is
S49, 10000 Thereafter the Govern
ment's contribution Ia expected To be