The daily independent., 1937-07-12
NA MtaA

derS; Administration VIII Let
Debate Run On Until Vote Can
Be Forced; Senator Bone Ar
ranged Wheeler Roosevelt Chat,
Effort Fruitless.
Washington-DeSplte all the
threats of a filibuster against the
Supreme Court reorganization bill,
it is a good bet that there will be
none. Here are the reasons:
/. The oppositionists who favor
this maneuver are too few IN
number to be able to wage a fill
buster that would mean anything.
When they announced their
scheme they expected to stampede
their associates into following
them. The result was exactly the
opposite.
Veteran parliamentary cam
paigners like Seniors Borah and
McNary not only refused to fall
into line but berated them for
even suggesting the idea. Also, a
number of Democrats and Re-
publicans who are against the
President on the issue notified the
last-ditcherS that while they will
vote against the Court bill, they
would have nothing to do with a
filibuSter.
2. Despite their outward show
of cohesion and organization the
ants actually have little of either.
Their difficulty is too many
generals and too few privates.
The steering committee they set
up to direct their battle is meet
ing several times a day and is do
ing much heavy master-minding.
But there is nobody to execute
orders.
The opposition rank and file 50
far has displayed marked GOODNESS
toward engaging in Word-Sling-
ing. The attitude Of the rear row
seems to be that the less said the
better. and the sooner the Court
row is over the happier they will
be.
The oppoSitiCn'S lack Of COM
pact organization was clearly de-
monStrated in the first week of
debate. The steering committee
had no speeches lined up TO coun-
ter blast the fuSilladeS of the Ad-
miniStration. and their floor
heckling was so incpt that the
AdministrationiteS had no diff
Guilty in raising an immediate hue
and cry about a filibuSter.
Administration Strategy
The Administrations strategy
is to let the debate run for three
weeks and then to press for a
vote.
If the opposition resiStS show
down, the plan is TO force contin-
uouS day and night sessions, with
Administration ranks sitting sill
ent in their seats and the ants
compelled to talk in order to stave
off vote Administration leaders
are convinced that several days
of such pressure will quickly shat
| ter obstruction 10 taking a bal
lot.
Pending its final push. the Ad-
miniStration will recess the SEN
ate at the close of each day, a
parliamentary strategy that will
bar more than two speeches by a
member on the issue. This puts an
added burden on any filibuSter at
! tempt.
Frank and Burt
Senator Burt Wheeler's sur
prise conference with the Presi-
dent on the Supreme Court was
not instigated by either of them.
InSpirer of the meeting was
Senator Homer Bone. serious
minded New Dealer from Wash
ington. Bone is a personal friend
of Wheeler and has been much
distressed by the Montanan's in
surgency on the court issue. In
numerous chats he has tried to
bring Burt back into the fold.
At various times Wheeler has
/ intimated that one of the reasons
for his opposition was the Presi-
dents failure to consult him. He
is always grousing about the Pre-
Sident doing things behind his
back.
Bone conceived the idea that if
he could bring the two men to
gether in a face-to-face talk
Wheeler could be persuaded to
drop his hostility. so he urged
! Roosevelt to call Wheeler to the
White House. Privately, the Pre-
sident deeply resents Wheeler's
attitude and had no desire for a
reconciliation. But to satisfy Bone
he not only agreed to talk to
Wheeler but old the inviting him
self.
The meeting was friendly but
fruitles5. In the course of the
hour and a half they were to-
gether. Wheeler made two
speeches in which he said he was
doing Roosevelt a great favor by
trying to defeat his bill.
The only result of the affair
was to convince Bone that Wheel
er was unreasonable and remove
all doubt in Bones mind about
voting for the Presidents plan.
Tit For Tat
Scpotor Edward R1rkp' Il