Evening star., 1949-04-17
Democrats Delaying
Truman Bills in Fear
OF Defeai, Scott Says
By Gould Lincoln

Republican National Commit
tee Chairman Scott last night
charged that the Democratic
leadership itself has been delay
ing the Truman program in Con-
gress because it realized much of
the program would fail to win
a majority If brought to a vote.
The Democrats also were ac-
cused by Mr.. Scott of using "cry
baby" alibis for Congress failure
SO far to complete much of the
legislation sought by President
Truman.
Senator Sparkman, Democrat.
OF Alabama. countered that Mr..
Scott is talking too soon and con-
tended that the 81st Congress will
end with an excellent job DONE
Replies to McGrath Charges.
In a letter sent to $4,000 Re
publican workers throughout the
country, Mr.. Scott replied to
Showdown" charges hurled at the
GPO by Democratic National
Committee Chairman McGrath,
who recently urged Democratic
\ members Of Congress to go home
and tell their constituents Repub-
lican ogstructionists are holding
UP the Presidents program.
Noting that Democrats controls
both Houses Of Congress, Mr.. Scott
said that II the Democrats could
agree on a program they could
pass 1t without any Republican
help. 4
Actually" he asserted. "the
hysterical squawks from the
Democrat leadership are not so
naive as they would seem at first
hearing. They know they can't
get more than a very small part
Of the Truman promise them
Observation-Disclosures e-around-it
program through Congress.
Stalling in Committee Claimed
From their standpoint, it is
better to prevent the various bills
included in the program, from
getting out Of committee than to
have them reported out and then
rejected by the House or Senate.
And if they can kid the American
people into believing that the
wicked Republican minorities on
the various committees are re-
sponsible in some mysterious way
for defeating the alleged will of
the Democrat majorities, they will
have performed something ap-
preaching miracle"
Senator Sparkman said he
doesn't think the Republicans can
dodge responsibility for taking up
most Of the time in Senate de-
bate.
II don't know whether there Is
Q showdown or not" the Alabama
Senator said. "The Democrats
can't control talk In the Senate
and the Republicans are answer
able for the time they consume.
But Mr.. Scott had better wait
until this Congress is over before
he starts yelling. I think the
country will find then that Con-
gress will have done an excellent
job in putting worthwhile legis-
lation on the statute books"
Major Legislation Cited.
Senator Sparkman observed that
the House has done "a remarkable
Job" In passing all Of the major
appropriations bills in the first
100 days of the session.
He noted that reciprocal trade.
Federal aid to education and Ia
hnry bills are ready for Senate &C
ton as soon as 1t completes work
On q housing bill this week. He
pointed to rent control and Mar
shall Plan authorization measures
as among those on which Congress
has completed action.
Mr.. Scott assailed the Demo-
Gratis for failing to force action on
civil rights legislation.
To point up his charge. the Re-
publican chairman recalled that
the Democratic leadership waited
two months after the opening Of
the session of Congress in Janu-
ary. during which the Senate did
practically nothing, meeting two
or three times a week. before 1t
undertook to tackle the PreSi-
dents civil rights program-and
then laid it aside after a powder
puff fllibuster" by Southern Dem
ocrats.
Cloture Change Cited.
mo effort was made to hold the
Senate in continuous session to
break the so-called filibuster,"
said MIR. Scott, land after few
days of this sort of nonsense Sen
ator Lucas Of Illinois, the major
ity leader. announced he would
make a motion to adjourn the
Senate, which if adopted would
displace the pending motion to
amend the Senate cloture rule"
Mr.. Scott said that the Repub-
licans had blocked this proposal.
and by their insistance had
brought about a change in the
cloture rule which for the first |
time will permit limiting debate
on any motion or any bill when
two-thirds of the Senate men,
bership-64 Senators-are willing |
to vote for such action.
He added that repeatedly since
that rule was adopted the Repub-
licans have challenged Senator
Lucas to bring in an anti-poll tax |
or an anti-lynching bill to test |