St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-08-16

wartime agency definitely fixed, eff
forts to get the Congress TO pass a
bill creating a permanent agency
were frustrated. Southern Demo
Gratis hlibustered against the bill
in the Senate, while its proponents
made only feeble efforts TO break
the filibuster. In the House the
Rules Committee refused to give
the measure a special rule in order
that 1t might be brought to the
floor for a vote. The Congress thus
ignored one Of the major recon-
mendations Of President Truman.
The record of the Seventy-ninth
Congress also was marked by its
failure TO enact anti-poll tax legis-
lation. The House passed the bill,
but the Senate shunted aside the
measure by refusing to limit de-
bate.
The circumstances under which
the bill was brought up in the SEN
ate give eredenee TO the charge that
Senator Alben w. Barley, the Ma
jOrity Leader, made a deal with Op-
pOnents Of the measure.
Senator Wayne Morse, Republi-
can, Of Oregon, gave Senators an
opportunity to vote for the anti
poll tax bill. Within two hours of
the time fixed under a unanimous
consent agreement for the Senate
to vote on the oil-rich tidelands
quit-claim bill and all amendments,
Senator Morse offered the poll tax
bill as an amendment to that
Measure. Senator Barley and
senator Claude Pepper, Democrat,
Of Florida, one Of the proponents
Of the poll tax bill, Joined by Sena-
tor White, the Minority Leader,
pleaded with Senator Morse to
withdraw the amendment. He re-
fused. Senator Barley then
pledged himself to bring up the
anti-poll tax bill and made a mo-
ton to table the Morse amendment.
The Barkley motion was adopted.
Before he made a motion to take
up the anti-poll tax bill Senator
Barkley circulated a petition to
limit debate on that measure and
obtained twenty-eight signatures.
Immediately after making the mo-
ton TO take up the bill Senator
Barkley filed the cloture petition.
Two days later, as required by the
rules, the Senate voted on the clo-
ture petition, which failed to get
the two-thirds vote necessary for
adoption. The Senate went on with
other business.
The results Of the November
elections will not insure passage
Of legislation to extend suffrage by
enactment Of an anti-poll tax law,
to give equal job opportunities to
people regardless of race, color or
religion, or to make mob violence a
federal offense. If the Republicans
win the House, there will be
change Of committee chairmen in
that body and Southerners will not
be able to block as easily legislation
especially benefting colored people.
But as long as Senate rules are as
they are, enabling opponents Of a
measure to talk endlessly, FEPC,
anti-poll tax and anti-lynching
Legislation has little or no chance Of
passage.
In the circumstances, when the
Eightieth Congress cOnvenes next
January 3, the National AssOcia-
ton for the Advancement Of Col
ored People, the National Council
for a Permanent FEPC, the Ma
tiOnal Committee to Abolish the
Poll Tax and all other OrganiZa-
tons and people who favor FEPC,
anti-pOll tax and anti-lynching leg
islAtiOn should bend all of their
energies toward getting Senate
rules changed so that a majority
may bring to a vote any bill il
desires after reasonable debate.