Evening star., 1949-02-28
|Fi|ibuster Battle
Opens; Truman
Asks Showdown
Requests Leaders
In Senate to Meet
Issue Head On
By J. A. O'LeoY

SnOWdOWn battle to end f1llbuSter-
ing. with word from the White
House that President Truman
wants the issue met head on.
Within an hour after adminis-
tration leaders got this directive
from the President. the parlia-
mentary maneuvering began on
the floor. 1t may continue for
weeks.
A determined group of South
ern Democrats, led by Senator
Russell of Georgia, is ready to talk
Indefinitely against a new rule to
let tWo-thirds of the Senate in
woke cloture at any time.
The battle began with Majority
Leader Lucas moving to take up
the new antifllibuster rule. Even
before he made the motion, how
ever, Senator Russell began to
question Senator Lucas about the
White House conference this
morning.
Barkley to Enforce Rule.
Vice President Barkley also
touched off round of preliminary
Skirmishing by announcing in
advance he will enforce strictly
the rule which causes a Senator
to lose the floor if he yields to q
colleague for any purpose except
a question.
Once invoked, cloture limits
each Senator to one hour of de-
bate, but unless the new rule is
adopted, or more literally inter.
preted by Vice President Barkley.
the Senate's presiding officer.
cloture cannot be applied on the
motion to take up a bill.
The Southerners are fighting
the new rule because they view it
as a preliminary step to the pas
sage of the Truman civil rights
program.
Expects Some Delay.
Senator Lucas told reporters
after the White House call that
Mr.. Truman wants the f1libuster
issue met without delay even if
it means a showdown of his legis-
lative program.
Senator Lucas said the cloture
amendment would not be laid
aside from any other legislation,
and that the Senate might stay in
session into the night on occasion.
! if necessary to deal with fill.
buster. He emphasized, however.
that there would be no all-night
sessions of the Senate.
The Senator said Mr.. Truman
was mot particularly worried"
that his legislative program will
be delayed by the f1libuster fight.
There is no doubt but that
there will be some delay of the
program, but the issue has to be
met sooner or later so we might
as we'll meet it now" Senator
Lucas said. We're going right
ahead and wind it up one way
or another" \
No Comment on Ruling.
While he said the fight would
delay action on rent control ex-
tension, he said that measure was
not yet out of the House and that
the reciprocal trade deadline
would not come until June II.
The present rent control law ex-
pires March 81.
The administration hope Of
putting the rule change over
hangs on wearing out the South
erners-or getting a ruling from
Mr.. Barkley that would permit
vote to limit debate on the pro-
posal to change the rules.
Asked how he would rule in the
matter was raised, Mr.. Barkley
had said earlier:
I'll pass on no question until
it arises"
Even if Mr. Barkley reverses
past decisions that cloture can be
invoked only on pending meas
ure and not on a motion, an ap-
peal will be taken from his de-
cision. That will make it neces-
sary for a majority of the Senate
to decide whether he or his prede-
ceSsors ruled correctly. Informal
canvassing indicates the adminis-
tration faces an uphill fight to
get majority on that issue.
There is no doubt that an over
whelming majority of Republic
cans and Democrats will vote for
the new rule on its merits, but
indications are that many of them
are not ready to give a broader
cnoctrIofioY fo f|o old rlIIc