The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-06-24
CAPITAL
COMMENT
By DAVID BRINKLEY
= Star-News Washington Bureau :

WASHINGTON, June 3-There is no longer
any doubt here that the Senate will approve
the United Nations charter committing the
United States to participation in world peace
xeep1ng organization. But there's more to the
story thar that Both sthe Democratic and Re-
n-bucan leateIs OF the Senate planning
surprise for President Truman, Marshal
Stain and Prime Minister Churchill-as we'll
as for some of their own colleagues.
It may not come off this way because the
circumstances may change, but here's how
the plan stands now:
For weeks, those who favor ratification of
the charter have been counting Senatorial
noses and testing out sentiments on both sides
Of the aisle BY Republican count, there are
10 members who can pretty well be counted
on to vote against the charter The Democrats
say they count 20 These are intense ma
tionalists or isolationists led by Montana S
Burton K Wheeler. But by either partys count
there won't be enough mo- votes to defeat
the charter and to repeat the tragedy OF 1919
when the United States led in forming the
.eague of Nations and then refused to join
itself.
Hope to Block Debate
Now that final passage is assured, the lead
ers' next step is to prevent long and tortuous
debate. ,
Some Senators, just little wary of it all,
want to speak out to be sure the peace plan
oets a good and thorough hearing on the
floor of the Senate. Others, who could best
be described as lukewarm, want to remind
the people that the charter is no synonym
for Utopia-that it's just a starter and not
Ekelv to bring the millennium very much near
err. They want to say we must not expect 100
much overnight or even in Jew mon1hs
and wears. but that the charter could be the
ntfo III
lived bv-in good faith-by all nations
Others. having negative attitude, Will want
IN sneak their pieces and say they're gong
along merely because there's nc harm IN II
for the United States.
The majority of the senate, of course, mas
higher hopes-hopes more like those OF the
President and the State Department-that 1t
NAV bring better world sooner IMAM many
people think
Finally, minority of the members VIII oe
AGAINST the charter, lock, stock and barrel
With all those speeches to be made, there
isn't much hope the charter can be approved
before Mr.. Truman goes to Berlin, as he has
said he would like. So among the Senate
leaders, there is a master plan atoot today
a plan to debate the charter as quickly as
possible then to maneuver for a vote just
after the President leaves for his conference
with Churchill and Stain
If they can work 1t out tndt way, ley Coulu
dramatic this country's willingness to cooper
ate with the world by cabling MIR. Truman
while he sits and talks with Churchlll ana
Stain that the United States Senate has just
voted overwhelmingly in favor OF accepting
the United Nations charter and taking re-
sponsible part in the worlds effort to keep
itself at peace.
There, these leaders feel would be force
full and effective answer to those foreign lead
ers who are still doubtful of this country S
willingness to cooperate. At the same time,
it would prove otherwise to those foreigners
who ooubt the ability of a democracy to func-
ton quickly and incisively when the need
arises.
That, briefly, is the plan agreed on by
leaders of the Senate to prove to the world
that this country and its elected representa-
tives have outgrown the selfish, juvenile antics
of the Henry Cabot Lodges Of an earlier day
The only foreseeable hitch, they say. is
filibuster. There have been rumblings IN that
direction from some of the more lmplacaole
isolationists. So. they've made plans to take
care OF that. too if it should arise.
The plan is this if any member takes the
floor and starts fibuster-or an Unnecessarily
long speech intended only to delay action
they will simply let him. They'll just keep
the Serate in session continuously, "a hours
day until the filibustering Senator talks
himself into dead faint or decides to bow
to the majority.
That's the plan the Senate leadership lnten7s
to follcw-the plan by which it intends to
prove to everyone that no government is as
efficient as a democracy in capable hants
--V-