Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1942-11-20
SENATE FlLIBUSTER

Chamber by the sergeant-at-arms'
Meanwhile Senators Aiken (kr
Wy and Herring (R., Iowa., who
had been reported out of town,
showed up to make a quorum OF
the Senate.
But by this time it was S:45 p. m.
and the filibusters had won almost
a full day of delay without a word
~ debate. As soon as the pres
ence of a quorum was announced
Senator Theodore Bilbo d., Miss.)
took the floor to resume the tlll-
buster.
Realizing that the sensational
arrest of Senators would attract
public attention, Bilbo attempted
to pass the buck to the proponents
of the measure.
THE responsibility for this pro
Ionged discussion" Bilbo said
"does not rest on those opposing
this unreasonable legislation. The
sponsors knew it would bring
about an involved, unlimited dis
cussion. So it is of their choosing
this this impasse has developed in
the midst of the war"
The hideout of the Southern
Senators made it clear that we'll
organized block of Senators from
non-poll tax Southern states, as
well as poll tax states, was back
of the filibuster, launched yester-
day when Barley attempted to
call the anti-poll tax bill up for
debate.
Every parliamentary stratagem
was being used by the filibuster in
their effort to force their minority
will upon the Senate majority. The
filibuster was open and all-out.
When Barley made the motion
to take up the bill Friday, Doxey
Immediately made a point of order
against the committee report, on
technicality that a quorum had
not been present when the commit
tee voted, although every member
of the committee had registered
either for or against the measure.
At once the Senate had trouble
getting a. quorum. When a quorum
failed to answer the first roll call,
Connally tried to adjourn the Sen
ate until Monday, but Barley and
the majority sent the sergeant-at-
arms out to round up absentees in
stead.
When the quorum finally was as
sembled, the Southerners used the
point of order to begin their fill
buster. They talked for hours, al
though Sen. La Toilette prog.
Wis.,, presiding, announced sew
eral times he was ready to rule.
Sen. George W. Norris (lnd.,
Neb.), Committee spokesman for
the bill, served notice that a fill
buster was in progress and tried to
prevent the delay tactics. But, I'M
der the rules, the filibusters were
permitted to make another point OF
no quorum. Again the sergeant
alarms had to be sent out for
members.
Finally, La Toilette overruled
the point of order and Connally i'm
mediately appealed from the rul-
ing of the chair. Sen. Theodore
(The Man) Bilbo Immediately took
the floor and talked for the rest of
the day.
He made no secret of his plans
to filibuster, announcing to the Sen
ate that it might vote "some day."
To newspaper men he made the
threat even more strongly, saying:
81 have gone over my material
very thoroughly and I find that l
cannot possibly cover the subject,
in all it's ramifcations, in less than
80 days. I am in perfect physical
condition. I just have had a most
thorough examination by my physi-
clan. 1t took him 10 days. He told
me, after it was all over, that had
absolutely no defects, except one
my mind. I told him didn't need
my mind very much in the Senate,
so that was all right.
81 told Sen. Barley to order his
Christmas tree now and have it
set up in the we'll of the Senate, be-
cause that would be the only
Christmas tree he would have a
chance of seeing this year"
Bilbo was on hand again today
to continue his delaying oratory,
but absence of quorum permitted
him to save his strength.
The Senate can break the fill