Evening star., 1944-05-15
Senate Rejects
|PoI|.TaxCIoture;;
bill Is She!ved
Buckers Muster Only
36 Votes; Veterans
Measure Token Up
By ]. A. OLEARY.

tne rest OF this year, Dy q vote
of 41-35, soon after supporters
of the measure failed in their
effort to invoke the cloture rule
to limit debate.
The cloture petition was repected,
A to SO. The motion failed to muster
even a majority, when a two-third
vote was required to adopt it.
The final vote displacing the poll
tax issue as the pending business
came an hour later on a motion by
Senator Clark. Democrat, of Mis-
souri, to take up House bill provid-
ing artificial limbs for wounded vet
erans. While this motion was not a.
direct test for and against the poll
tax, it had the effect of shelving
the question for the time being.
Both parties split or the cloture
question. OF the SO voting for
cloture, 18 we're Republicans, IT
Democrats and / Progressive. OF
the A who voted against, 81 were
Democrats and 10 Republicans.
Decision Was Delayed.
Senator Clark Immediately moved
to take up the bill to provide arti-
fetal limbs for wounded veterans.
A decision was delayed by further
debate, in which Senator Pepper,
Democrat, of Florida, tried to get
a more direct test of sentiment
on the poll-tax issue, such as would
be presented by a move to lay it on
the table.
Senator Clark, who had voted for
cloture, explained that he was prob
ably the only man in the Senate
who, while voting to limit debate,
would vote against the poll tax re-
peal on its merits, believing the bill
is unconstitutional He said he was
willing to support the cloture move
because he thought it would be
disgraceful" to have the Senate
tied up by filibuster while Amer
lean boys are preparing for the in
vasion.
Senator Reed, Republican, Of
Kansas broke in to say he was in
the same position as Senator Clark.
Majority Leader Barkley said after
the vote that he told Senator's on
both sides of the question at the
outset that If cloture could not be
adopted the bill could never be
brought to q vote, no matter how
long it was kept before the Senate.
He also predicted that another effort
to get cloture week or more from
now would not be any more Suc-
cessful.
Urges Senate to Continue.
Chairman McCarran of the
Judiciary Committee, which reported
the poll tax repeater, urged the Sen
ate to continue consideration of the
measure. Senator McCarran voted
against limiting debate, but said he
wanted the bill kept before the Sen
ate until it is disposed of on its
merits.
Senator Mead, Democrat, of New
York backed Senator McCarran's
appeal to keep the poll tax before
the Senate.
Referring to talk of summer re-
cess, Senator Mead said he was
willing to "stay here all summer"
and meet five or six days a week
to get a vote.
In his first Senate appearance
since winning denomination in the
hard-fought Florida primary, Sena-
tor Pepper leveled his oratorical guns
at Gov. Thomas E. Dewey, declaring
the New York Governors statement
in support of the bill was too little
and too late"
Hits Dewey's Tardiness.
Senator Pepper charged that Gov.
Dewey threw his weight behind re-
peal of the poll tax, a question which
would not change the outcome of
the November election, but that re-
Gently he was against the Federal
ballot plan for servicemen.
He comes to the side of this ques-
ton, as to the issue of international
collaboration, with too little and too
late" Senator Pepper said of Gov.
Dewey.
AS the last hour of debate on the
cloture rule began, Senator VAN
denberg, Republican, of Michigan
read a telegram from the veteran
Senator johnson, Republican, of
California announcing that he
wanted to be paired in favor of
cloture. Senator Johnson, whose
health has kept him from the SEN
ate in recent weeks, told Senator
Vandenberg that, although Violent
ly opposed to cloture, he would vote
for it under the circumstances.
Connally Questions Vandenberg.
Senator Connally, leader OF the
opposition, inquired if the Johnson
message was in answer TO a query
from the Senator from Mlchlgan.
Senator Vandenberg replied en-
phatically that it was not.
Closing the argument for the op-
ponents of the bill, Senator Connal-
ly called the Sers te "the last great
forum of free government" and add
ed, 81 hope the Senate will not vote
for a rule to commit suicide" The
Texan said several Senators whom
he would not name had told him
privately they are against the poll
fax repeal bill because they believe
n is unconstitutional, but intend to
vote for cloture.
Senator Pepper referred to the
recent primaries in his own State
and in Alabama to support his con-
tention that the poll tax keeps down
the number of voters In Alabama,
where there is poll tax, he said
227,548 voted. In Florida, where the
poll tax has been repealed in recent
years, 800 900 voted in the primary,
although the population is less than
Alabama'S, he said.
Rule Adopted in 1917.
The cloture rule, adopted in 1917
just before this country entered the
World War, has been invoked sue
only four times. On at
east 10 other occasions motions to
apply 1t have been rejected. 1t 10
difficult to muster two-thirds for
'loture, because many Senator's.
even when they favor a pending
Dill, hesitate to shut off debate
(See POLL TAX, Page A-41