Evening star., 1948-12-19
Taft Promises Battle
For Rules Change TO
Outlaw FiIibusters
By J. A. O'Leory

Senator Taft OF Ohio indicated
yesterday that he and his fellow
Republicans will continue tx
fight for changes in Senate rules
to prevent filibustering as nee.
essary step toward the enact.
ment of civil rights legislation
even though they no longer viii
be in control when the new Con.
gress meets.
We're pledged to do that, anc
I think we will introduce something
along that line the Senator said
referring to the action of Republican
leaders last summer in appointing
special committee to make a study
during the recess of the best means
of amending the rules.
Senator Taft served definite no.
tice that he will fight any admin
istration move to repeal the Taft.
Hartley labor law outright in the
new Congress. He also announced
plans to sponsor housing, health
and aid to education legislation.
Senator Taft said he is certain
Republicans will offer Taft Hartley
labor law provisions as amendments
to any repeater that administration
Democrats may propose.
Might Accept Some Changes.
He said he might agree to tive
or three changes" in the present law
But he added he will fight any effort
to void the section under which
many labor leaders have been re-
quired to take oath they are no;
Communist.
Senator Taft called for "some re-
duction" in foreign aid outlays this
year to show European nations that
American help will not be "perma-
nent. He said a substantial re-
duction may be possible in 1850.
The decision as to when any move
to revise the rules will be taken uI
will rest with the Democrats, since
they will be in control of the Senate
program from day to day after
January 3.
Senator Taft told reporters he is
inclined to believe a broadening OF
the cloture rule would be essential
to the enactment of any substantial
civil rights program"
When Congress adjourned last
summer, the change which was most
widely discussed would extend the
cloture rule to apply to any motor
as well as a bill. The existing
cloture rule permits the Senate tt
limit debate on a bill whenever two.
thirds of the Senate votes to invoke
it. Senate presiding officers have
held, however, that cloture canno
be invoked against a motion to take
up a bill, which gives opponents Of
any measure a chance to start g
fllibuster before the bill is taken up
When Republicans found they
could not get vote at the last
session on civil rights legislation
they named a special committee
headed by Senator Brooks, Repub-
llcan, of Illinois, to bring in pro-
posed changes in the rules in jan
uary. AT that time the G. o. P
leaders expected they still would
control the Senate.
Senator Brooks, defeated in No
vember, said yesterday that if the
Republicans had been kept in con-
troll of the Senate his committee had
planned to bring in a new rule
against filibustering and devote the
first two or three weeks of the
January session to a drive to get
it adopted.
Morse To Fight For Change.
In view Of the outcome of the
elections, he said, his committee is
not planning to file any report, but
will leave it up to those who will
be in charge of shaping policies.
The issue undoubtedly will come
up for consideration when the Re-
publiCans hold a conference after
the Christmas holidays to decide
on their course of action, as the
minority, on all major problems.
Senator Morse, Republican, OF
oregon. served notice in a speech
in Pittsburgh Friday that he will
fight in the new Congress for a
change in rules to prevent filibuster-
ing. He suggested that on the first
day of the new session all Senators
who feel the same way should sup
port an amendment to the rules.