Evening star., 1942-11-19
Poll Tax Bill Foes
Talk Of Disp|aeing
BarkIey Waning
Meeting Called Today
May Pave Way for Vote
On Limiting Debate
4y the Associated Press.

8y the Associated Press.
Majority Leader Barkley ap-
peared today to have demon
strated that a soft answer turn
eth away wrath as Southern ire
over his insistence on bringing
up the anti-poll tax bill began
cooling in the Senate.
Despite much behind-the scenes
grumbling, Senator Barkley's soft
replies to the indignant outbursts
OF Southern Democrats evidently
averted any serious move to replace
him as majority leader when the
new Congress is organized in jan
uary.
Senator Connally, Democrat, of
Texas, one of the leaders of fill
clustering fight against the bill to
abolish State poll taxes, told re-
porters he knew of no movement to
displace Senator Barkley.
Senator Connally was nominated
by Senator Mcclellan, Democrat, of
Tennessee as my leader" in SEN
ator McKellar's bitter denunciation
of Senator Barkley's action Satur-
day in sending warrants out for the
arrest of eight absent Senators, in
cludlng Senator Mcclellan, when a
quorum was needed.
Foes of Bill Notified,
The majority leaders temperate
replies and his patience in long
hours Of parliamentary stalling by
the bills opponents appeared to
have Modified many of the latter,
including some who earlier had
spoken privately of attempting to
overthrow the existing party organ
ization.
Senator McKellar himself had no
comment, and the attitude of the
others had not softened their de-
termination to prevent vote on the
bill. One Of the group, Senator Rus
sell, Democrat, of Georgia said he
had every confidence this aim would
be attained
This Is a political punitive ex-
pedltion into eight Southern States
and we are going to fight for our
constitutional rights, just as the
Senators from the Far West would
light If some one tried to put some
thing over on their section of the
country" Senator Russell declared.
The Southerners have contended
only the States have the right to
flx qualifications for voters, assert
ing that to abolish the poll tax as a
prerequisite to the exercise of the
ballot would be an unconstitutional
invasion Of State rights.
Committee Action Challenged.
Senator Doxey, Democrat, of Mis-
sissippi. one of the principal oppo-
nents Of the bill, raised a point of
order that the Senate Judiciary
Committee which reported it was
without authority to do so because
the measure was unconstitutional.
When Senator Doxey completed a
three-hour speech, Senator Chand-
Ter, Democrat, of Kentucky. pre-
siding, ruled that the Mississippian
had posed constitutional question
which should be submitted to the
Senate .~ ay -4e- .,4 sxu
Senator Barkley declared that
"the matter stands in the balance
and called for recess until noon
today. He attempted without sue
cess to get the Southerners to agree
to vote on the question by or 2
pm.
Opponents of the bill, meanwhile.
scheduled meeting today to con-
slider a change in strategy WHICH
might pave the way for an early
vote on the question of limiting de-
bate.
One Southern Senator who asked
to remain anonymous said that If
it appeared more than third of
the Senate's members would oppose
imposition of the cloture rule limit
ing each Senator to one hour of
debate, opponents would suspend
their filibustering tactics for show