The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1935-09-12
SS
kA.E 5 ILL: |.l|,l'EE1
Obsolete Senate Rules

Washington Through more years
than most Of us can remember, the
u. S. senate has been the object of
caustic criticism, jibe and its rule
permitting unlimited debates. Time
after time long senate speeches have
been the object of editorial attack
in one segment or another of Am
erican metropolitan newspapers. It's
slow, tortoise-Ike methods have
been held up to ridicule in spoken
and written word innumerable
times, and its procedure remains I'm
changed. -. - - ~. Il.
1t was no occasion for surprise,
therefore, when new outburst of
criticism of senate rules of proce-
dure was launched upon us i1mmedi-
ately after the last session of con-
gress adjourned. Senator Huey P.
Long of Louisiana, the Self-styled
kingfish, broke loose as he has so
many times broken loose and, eff
fectively tied senate plans in a knot.
He did the very thing that has pre-
cipitated criticism of the senate
through all of the years mentioned
above and succeeded in one-man
filibuster in blocking passage of an
appropriation bill Indeed, he was
so effective in his job that he brot
down on his head the wrath of the
President and all of the New Deal
ers, who were about to realize Gull
mination of some of their most
cherished dreams.
While the Long filibuster prob
ably should be criticized because
undoubtedly there was some unfair
ness about it, the reason it takes on
more Importance at this time is be-
cause it placed so many of the New
Dealers in a state of high dundgeon
mentally and because it again CEN
tered attention upon these same
senate rules.
BY way of preliminary explana-
ton, I believe it ought to be said
that no organized body can operate
effectively or orderly without first
binding itself to adhere to rules of
procedure that will give each an OPP
portunity. These rules, in the case
of the senate, are very old. It may
be said they are antiquated and OBJ
,solete; surely some will take that
view of them. But nevertheless
those are the rules.
I do not propose here to say that
they should be revised or that the
present 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 shall under
stand some of the reasons which
actuate the present urge.
Longs Filibuster
The kingfish spoke for nearly six
hours on the closing night of the
session. He could not be prevented
from speaking after he was once
recognized by the presiding officer.
He told the senate he was battling
for government loan rate on cot
ton of IL cents per pound whereas
the administration was proposing to
make the rate either nine or ten
cents per pound. The senate had
placed an amendment on an appro-
priation bill to carry out the idea
of 10 cents a pound and had put up
the proposition to the house of
representatives which showed no
signs of agreeing at all until Mr..
Roosevelt took hand and suggest
ed the compromise Of 10 cents a
pound. ALI that remained was a
formal vote of the senate to put the
administration plan into effect. SEN
ator Long decided it should not be
and he proceeded to lick the admin
istration single handedly by con-
tinuing his filibuster until the mid
night hour when the congress was to
adjourn finally.