The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-06-16
Michigan in
Washington
py EsTHER V. wv. TuFrY


Probably most Americans think
a bill is passed or defeated by
vote OF Congress. But II isn't true.
Just how the powerful rules com.
mittee can block action certainly
isn't generally known or comprs-
hended. The House bill to estab-
fish a statutory Fair Employment
Practice Commission was introduc.
ed by Representative Mary Nor
ton as a bipartisan proposal. Il
was an implementation OF pledges
made last fall In both major party
platforms. II has been reported
favorable by the House Labor Com
mittee-the only committee author
lied 10 advise the House concern
ing It. A vigorous plea for prompt
action on the bill has come from
President Truman. Yet the men,
bers OF the House OF Representa-
tives have been kept from voting
by the failure OF the Rules Com
mittee to grant a rule governing
the manner in which the bill shall
be debated and decided.
Absenteeism, accidental or plan
ned. delayed a showdown. But all
IL members-eight Democrats and
four Republicans - managed TO
vote one day this week. The re-
suit was tie. So the House men,
bers are still deprived OF debating
and voting on this bill which every
one comedies would pass the House
II 1t reached the floor (only men,
bers below the Mason-Dixon line
representing about one-fourth OF
the total are In opposition.)
But the tie vote action OF the
rules committee did whitewash the
Republican members since all four
voted to report out the bill. The
Democrats could line up only two
OF the needed three for a majority
Chairman Adolph SABBATH. OF Iii.
hois. and John ]. Delaney, OF New
York. Proponents OF the bill call
this a shocking example OF the
"strangle-hold" the rules commit.
tee has on the House. Michigan
has one highly respected and strong
member on the rules committee,
veteran Earl Kitchener OF Adrian.
He has not been guilty Of absentee
ism and his position in favor OF
reporting out the bill Is well-known.
Kitchener said, ITS really up 10
the Democrats. They after all have
control OF the committee and II
they want rule on this legisla-
ton they can get II.
What is at issue now Is not the
FEPC as such but the right Of the
House to function as a legislative
body. Whether a majority OF the
House favors or opposes an FEPC,
the bill to create that agency ought
to be debated and decided in the
House as a whole. And the Ameri-
can public. It Is said. ought to know
how the members OF the House
stand.
In a Commerce Department re-
port, It is said "reconversion opti-
mism prevails in Michigan and sur
rounding states.
The automobile industry. how
ever. offers an acute physical prob
lem. While relocation Of equip
ment among the automotive COM
panies is a major problem in itself,
disposal Of aforementioned ma
chine tools, reconditioning OF peace
time equipment, and the acquisition
OF some 5000 new machine tools
that are needed by the industry Is
OF even greater Importance. Clear
ing the automobile plants OF gov
eminent equipment Is expected 20
be aggravated by the lack OF stor-
age space as we'll as the shortage
Of lumber needed for Grating.
The machine tool situation Is
report to be less OF bottleneck
than was formerly anticipated.
Moreover. II is felt that the current
realistic attitude of WPB in taking
steps to expedite the delivery OF
needed machine tools TO the indus
try will be a major factor in speed
ing reconversion.
Representatives OF the automo-
bile industry report there are too
many intangible fatcors to consider
to permit even an estimate OF post
war employment cancellation. A
slight clue as to the thinking among
the automobile manufacturers may
be found in an estimate which
points out that the peacetime peak
OF 100000 climbed to a wartime
peak OF $4,000. This leveled of
at 100000 in February OF this year
and the anticipated postwar peak
is 100000.
The sequence Of the return OF
civilian goods is not known but
reports from such production GEN.
tiers as Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee,
IL Al Il.