Evening star., 1939-09-20
Neutrality Only
Session Seen as
Remote Possibility
Capitol Observers
Forecast Only Brief
Respite at Christmas
By JAMES E. CHINN.

Bets at odds of to can be picked
up almost anywhere in the Capitol
today that the special session of
Congress, convening tomorrow, will
not be "out of the trenches" before
Christmas.
A short, snappy session, grooved to
the course of neutrality revision
only, was President Roosevelt's OBJ
jective in abruptly curtaiiing the
summer vacations of the members.
But those veterans of Capitol Hill
who have been through special ses-
sions before, though trying hard to
stretch an imaginary line of vision,
cannot see an adjournment goal
anywhere on the horizon.
In fact, the consensus seems to
be the special session will meld right
into the regular session starting in
January, with perhaps week or a
Today respite during the Christ
mas holiday season.
Other Needs Seen.
Those astute observers of legisla-
tive procedure in the House and Sen
ate, as we'll as some of the members
themselves, do not believe Congress,
during the special session, will hew
strictly along the path of neutrality
legislation. Increased appropria-
tions for national defense, in their
opinion, must be provided without
delay. And there are others who
think that -profiteering legisla-
ton is necessary.
So, legislatively speaking, any
thing may happen at the extra ses-
sion. There are no hard and fast
rules requiring Congress when once
assembled to confine its activities
to a chartered course such as neu-
trality, even though the President
may so wish, as in this particular
case.
In 1887 when Mr.. Roosevelt called
his first special session of Con-
gress to consider social reform, wages
and hours and crop control legisla-
tion, it went beyond this prescribed
program. And in so doing it set
down a precedent for any step the
impending special session may take
outside the realm of neutrality.
Neutrality to Be First.
The Senate, of course, will tackle
the neutrality problem first, and
there are indications it may be a
month or more before it acts finally.
Some of those Senators who already
have expressed views on the subject
predicted there would be many days
of debate on the Senate floor be-
fore verdict is reached. There has
been no forecast. however, as to
how long the Senate Foreign Re-
lations Committee will take in re-
porting out neutrality legislation.
Once the neutrality legislation
reaches the Senate floor there is also
the possibility of a filibuster by
opponents, though it may be lin
tied by a seldom invoked cloture
rule. BY a two-thirds vote the
Senate, acting on a petition signed
by Is members, can under this
cloture rule preclude "dilatory'
motions or amendments and limit
speeches to one hour for each Sen
ator.
1t is question as to what the
House will do while the Senate is
debating neutrality. It can take up
the program abandoned when Con-
gress adjourned in August. Under
the rule the House can adopt a
doing nothing policy" meeting
every three days and adjourning
until the neutrality bill arrives from
the Senate.
These important questions House
leaders must answer in the next
few days
130 Bills on Calendar.
On the House calendar are more
than 130 bills, left over from the last
session. which could be called up
for action. Among them are two
loaded with political dynamite-the
Federal anti-lynching bill and the
bill to amend the wages and hour
law.
These two highly controversial
bills probably will be stunned at
the special session. If they are, it
will give House members more time
to talk about war and other things
while waiting on Senate-approved
neutrality bill. And therein Is the
possibility that some members, in
their zeal to keep America out of
war, might make some statement
that would serve to touch off a seri-
Gus controversy.
A member of Congress cannot be
gagged while he's on the floor.
There are no restrictions on what he
can or cannot say as long as his
language is not profane And, too,
the rules say, his colleagues are for
bidden to disturb him by kissing,