Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1935-09-12


its rule permitting unlimited debates.
Time after time long senate speeches
have been the object of editorial at
tack in one segment or another of
American metropolitan newspapers.
Its slow, tortoise-like methods have
been held up to ridicule in spoken and
written word innumerable times, and
Its procedure remains unchanged
It was no occasion sfor surprise,
therefore, when 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 self-styled kingfish,
broke loose as he has so many times
broken loose and effectively tied SEN
ate plans in knot. He did the very
thing that has precipitated criticism
of the senate through all of the years
mentioned above and succeeded in a
One-man filibuster in blocking passage
of an appropriation bill. Indeed, he
was so effective in his Job that he
Of President Roosevelt and all Of the
New Dealers who were about to
realize elimination of some of their
most cherished dreams.
While the Long filibuster probably
should be criticized because undoubted-
ly there was some unfairness about it,
the reason 1t takes on more importance
at this time is because 1t placed so
many Of the New Dealers in a state
of high dudgeon mentally and because
1t again conferred attention upon these
same senate rules.
By way of preliminary explanation,
believe 1t ought to be said that no
organized body can operate effective
ly or orderly without first binding
itself to adhere to rules Of procedure
that will 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 a good
many years to produce satisfactory
legislative results under them.
do not propose here to say that
they should be revised or that the pres
ent rules should be retained. But 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 actuate the present urge.
The kingfish spoke for nearly six
hours on the closing night of the ses-
Longs be prevented from
FilibuStcr 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 IL cents
per pound whereas the administration
was proposing to make the rate either
nine or ten cents per pound. The SEN
ate had placed an amendment on an
appropriation bill to carry out the idea
of twelve cents pound and had put
up the proposition to the house of rep
resentatives 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 a formal vote of the SEN
ate to put the administration plan into
effect. Senator Long decided it should
not be and he proceeded to lick the
administration single-handedly by con-
tinuing his filibuster until the mid
night hour when the congress was to
adjourn finally.
In blocking the administration COM
promise, Senator Long also defeated
appropriation OF something like $780,
100000 which the administration was
going to use in setting up machinery
under its so-called security laws, the
Guffey bill for regulation of the soft
coal industry and the bond created
theoretically to settle labor disputes.
All Of these bills were pressed hard
by the administration, If one had noe
had its antagonists in congress. They
were and are strictly New Deal meas
ures. AS a result of the Long filibus-
ter none Of them can be made fully
operative until congress convenes
again next January and appropriates
the money. So, 1t can be seen how the
pride of the New Deal professors was
wounded. 1t can be seen likewise
why they, along with the President. did
so much squawklng about the Long
dllbuster. 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 SEN
Unnecessary ator Long virtually
Barking nullified 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
] sithuster The hills which were brought