Evening star., 1949-03-08
Action on Labor Bill
May Result in 6. 0. P.
Reversal on FiIibuster
'Hishhonded' Procedure
BY Democrats Could Line
Up 6. O. P. and South
By Datid Laurence

the Senate. Here is q case, how
ever, in which . pressure-group
minority Of the electorate has, by
the use Of threats Of political re-
prisal, compelled q committee ma
jority TO use technical powers Of
procedure to cut of not just dis
eussion but the actual offering Of
motions to amend q measure un-
der consideration.
The eight Democrats who voted
TO report out the so-called Ad-
ministration labor bill at the be-
hest of labor -union leaders did not
allow the minority Of five Re-
publicans to bring up their amend
ments. This procedure was de-
scribed by Senator Taft. Republic
can, of Ohio. as the most high
handed action" he had witnessed
IN his service in the Senate.
Unusual In Senate.
The true meaning Of the epi-
sode is far reaching. It means
that the Democrats on the COM
mittee acknowledged that. despite
several weeks Of hearings. they had
closed their minds to any changes
in the labor bill and that nothing
brought out at the hearings war
ranted 20 much as q change OF q
single syllable. No legislation Is
beyond improvement. and certain
ly there were many points re-
vealed in the testimony which
fair-minded or open-minded legis-
lators would wish to adopt II free
to vote their real convictions. But
the eight Democrats were under a
commitment to obey the orders OF
the pro-labor-union strategists.
This type Of rigid discipline
under orders from the White
House has long been recognized
rs q procedure understandable IN
the House of Representatives. but
certainly 1t Is unusual In the
Senate and may be regarded as
q forerunner Of what Is going to
happen in the upper house If the
rules limiting debate are ever
adopted.
The real safeguard in the right
Of unlimited debate Is to check
the excesses of an intolerant ma
tority or a majority SO subser-
Went to minority pressure groups
as to forget the public interest.
The issue of civil rights is Of
tremendous importance to all men
regardless of color. II. however,
the Senate rules are changed so
that an arbitrary and capricious
majority can cut of debate at
any time, then civil rights Of all
kinds can be curtailed, II not de-
stroyed, whenever minority groups
can threaten to use their funds
without restriction at the polls.
Issue Now Broader.
If state socialism is introduced
into the American governmental
system by means Of pressure
group control of a legislative ma
jority. then all rights will be im7
periled. So the filibuster issue
has become broader than it was
when the debate started. 1t now
has resolved itself into clear-cut
division between radicals and
nonradicals.
1t is surprising to see Repub-
licans from Northern States form
ing an alliance with Northern
Democrats to impose gag rule In
the Senate. If the Republicans
were doubtful or wavering before.
the action taken in the Senate
Labor Committee within the last
few days may well bring reversal
and line up the Republican Party
with the Southern Democrats,
who see far better than their
colleagues from the North the
real dangers Of the so-called
eloture rules.
There is only one justification
Tor the change in the Senate
rules. That is when constitu-
tional amendment Is passed which
permits the people of the United
States to exercise the same privi-
lege Of self-rule which the Cana
dian democracy enjoys-the right
Of the people at any time to
change their executive or their
legislature If any national policy
or legislative step is pursued
which is not approved by the
majority Of the people. AS long
rs there is a fixed tenure Of six
years for Senators and four years
for Presidents, the right Of un-
limited debate in the Senate is
the only safety valve for the opin-
lon Of q minority today-which
can become q majority tomorrow
when the issues are fully pre-
sented to the people by their
representatives in the national
legislature.
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