Evening star., 1949-03-02
Future u. 5. History
Seen Affected by Figh'
Over FiIibuster Curb
Bottle Now Depends on
How Republicans Will
Vote on Rules Change
Bv David Laurence

By David Laurence
The debate over the right of q
majority to cut off discussion in
the Senate has implications that
can affect the future of American
history, as they have in the past
Behind the right of a minority
of Democrats to talk down any
measures seeking to impose racial
segregation upon the South is
an armed truce which has existed
in Congress virtually since the
time of the Civil War.
Again and again efforts have
been made, as far back as the
'90s, to impose on the South a
strict enforcement of the letter
of the constitutional amendments
which prohibit racial discrimina-
ton. Always the power of small
group of Senators to prevent q
motion from being voted on has
been interpoSed to kill such meas
ureS as would employ the Federal
authority to secure civil rights
within the States.
The South for long time held
its power in national party poll
tics by means Of the so-called two
thirds rule, whereby candidates at
the Democratic national conven-
tions could not get the nomina-
ton and if elected could not
obtain denomination unless the
veto of the bloc of one-third was
removed.
The late President Roosevelt
secured the abolition of the two
thirds rule at nominating conven-
tions. Another Democratic PreSi-
dent is now behind the drive to
abolish the veto by the Southern
Democrats on civil rights meas
ureS.
Civil Rights Issue.
Unfortunately, the controversy
over possible changes in the SEN
ate rules has become entangled
with the civil rights question,
Hence, a vote to abandon the
present right of a few Senators
to flibuster motion to death is
considered a vote for civil rights,
and a vote to retain the rules is
considered to be an action op-
posed to an equitable settlement
of the civil rights question.
The issue goes deeper, however,
than civil rights and racial prob
lens. 1t goes to the heart of mi
nority rights on all questions. The
right of unlimited debate has
kept the Senate from becoming a
rubber stamp for the Executive on
matters of domestic as we'll as
foreign policy.
In times of economic stress an
intolerant majority can ride
roughshod over the rights Of the
minority. In the Senate it has
been possible for unlimited de-
bate to be checked only by the
processes of public opinion when
the debate privilege was abused.
While some filibusters have
done real damage by delaying i'm
portant measures till the next
session, ,sthe real evils of the fill
buster have been largely cured
by the passage of the constitu-
tional amendment which requires
new Congress to convene in
January. virtually as a consecu-
tive session, so that flllbuSters
cannot be as effective as in the
old days when Congress had to
adjourn on March 4 and could
not be brought into action again
before December except by
special session.
Safeguards Against Abuse.
There are safeguards against
abuse of the debating privilege.
The Republicans are split on the
issue, as are the Democrats. In
a few days Vice President Bark
ley is expected to reverse ruling
by Senate President Pro Tenn
Vandenberg in the last Congress.
That ruling originally held that
motions to take up measures were
subject to unlimited debate and
that a cloture or gag rule could
not be applied.
When Mr.. Barkley rules, as IS
expected, that a motion to take
up a bill can be subjected to the
debate limits of cloture procedure,
then the Senate itself can by
majority vote uphold or reverse
Mr.. Barkley's ruling.
Will the Republicans vote to
repudiate Senator Vandenberg S
historic ruling? If they do, then
it is only a question of time when
the present cloture rule will be
changed to apply to all motions
and then debate can be cut OIL
on any motion or measure by
vote of tWo-thirds of the Senate.
The battle depends now on
what the Republicans will do.
They scarcely will get the credit
for changing the rules, as Presi-
dent Truman and the Democratic
leaders are forcing the issue. In
the end, the Republicans probably
will wind up by depriving them
selves of the most important
weapon they could use to prevent
the inroads of state socialism
wherein all civil rights would in
the long run probably have to
be sharply curtailed anyway.
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