Evening star., 1948-05-25
House Defeats
Attempt 10 Kill
|Home-Ru|eB Bill
Measure Taken Up
For Amendment, With
Vote Likely Today
BULLETIN

BULLETIN
BY voice vote the House this
afternoon defeated a motion
by Representative Abernethy,
Democrat, of Mississippi to
strike from the District home
rule bill a provision establish
ing a new joint congressional
committee on the District.
BY a roll-call vote of 1872 to 1853,
the House this afternoon de-
feated an effort to kill the Dis
trict's home rule bill. Action
came on a move by Representa-
tive Smith, Republican. of Ohio
to strike the enacting clause of
the measure.
Defeat of the move takes the bill
into House Committee of the Whole
session for a further reading Of the
bill for amendment. Final action
on the bill is expected later today.
In making his move, which had
been forecast an hour earlier, by
both Republican and Democratic
members, the Ohio legislator said
the measure was a dangerous bill
and ought to be defeated"
Preliminary Tests Taken.
The motion on a preliminary test
was lost when standing vote
showed 50 voting against it and Al
for A teller vote then was taken
and this showed the motion was
carried. 80 to 10.
These actions were taken while
the House was sitting as a Commit
tee of the Whole.
Sponsors of the bill, which pro-
vides for an elected and reorganized
city government. were pessimistic
over the outlook for 1t before the
vote on the Smith resolution, but
seemed to take heart after the vote.
Some Republicans, as well as Demo-
Gratis, said they thought the bill
would be defeated.
Dirksen Pleads for Bill.
Two hours of general debate on
the bill was closed at 1915 pm.
with an eloquent plea by Chairman
Dirksen of the District Committee,
after numerous other members Of
the House had both attacked and
supported the bill.
Reading of the bill for amendment
was begun few moments later.
The House quickly accepted sew
eral technical amendments offered
by the bills sponsors. When title
one had been read, Representative
Davis, Democrat, of Georgia moved
| to strike out the last word, as a
means of gaining five additional
minutes to conclude his earlier
arguments.
A point of no quorum was made
by Representative Harris, Demo-
crat, OF Arkansas, requiring . call
of the roster.
The rule limiting general debate
and preventing technical points OF
order was adopted by the House late
yesterday by a roll call vote Of 1T
to 147-a margin of only 80 votes.
Opponents Of the bill were quick to
point out that some of those who
voted for the rule did so merely to
give the bill its day in court" but
would not vote for passage OF the
bill.
Appeal Wins Applause.
Just before the House clerk began
reading the bill for amendments,
Chairman Dirksen closed the de-
bate with his plea for the bills
enactment. He drew applause from
the Republican members OF the
House as he said:
i admonish you with all the
earnestness of my soul, do not be
misled by faulty arguments to throw
this overheard lightly"
Congress has been derelict too long
in its responsibilities to the District
residents, Mr.. Dirksen said. "The
ferment of freedom is In the air."
he added. go = The time has
come to make a start"
Mr.. Dirksen charged that the real
reason behind the opposition to the
bill was fear of minority power
here"
The minority votes in nearby
Virginia" he told the House, the
minority votes in Maryland, why not
in the DISTRICT"
Sees Lack of Trust.
Leaving the microphone, Mr.. Dirk
sen walked to the front row Of
seats and gesticulating, he shouted.
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