St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1950-06-09


of the chair the Senator from
Louisiana (Mr. Long, contended
that it did not impugn Senator's
motives to say that he had made
an untrue statement. 1 submit
that the Chairs present ruling is
not consistent with his former
contention.
The PRESIDING OFFICER.
1t was the feeling of the present
occupant of the chair that when
one Senator says the statement
of another Senator is not true it
does not represent a reflection
upon him or anyone else unless he
implies that he knowingly told an
untruth. Certainly it is possible
for anyone to make an erroneous
statement. The Chair feels that it
reflects upon a Senator to say he
knowingly said something that
was not true. The Chair does not
think it is a reflection upon Sem
ator to state that a particular
statement is not true if the Sem
ator made it in all good faith
thinking it to be true.
Mr.. Nicely. Is it the opinion
of the Chair that it is a more
serious infraction of rule XIX for
Senator to say that our present
proceedings are deluding the pub
lie than it would be for him to
charge that Senator has uttered
an untruth? In other words, I'M
der the rule or regardless of it, is
"delude," which is synonymous
with "mislead," a more offensive
expression than "untruth," which
is synonymous with lie? If it is
not, and the Chairs former con-
tention was correct, the Senator
from Minnesota has not been out
of order.
Mr.. HUMPHREY. refuse to
yield for further observations. l
got into one fishing expedition
some time ago. shall now main
tain my rights to the floor and
shall yield for questions at a later
time.
Mr.. President, l should like to
make an observation with refer
ence to another argument which
the opposition has made repeated
ly. have heard it said that
FEPC legislation caters to a min
ority. The opponents say it caters
to a minority. That charge has
been made again and again. The
argument is made that Congress
is giving far too much considera-
ton to minorities, not only in this
proposed legislation, but in other
pieces of legislation as well. 1t
appears to me, Mr.. President, that
the only minority the Senate
seems to be catering to is the
minority of Senators who are op-
posed to consideration of FEPC
legislation. 1t appears to me that
the minority is in the Senate, not
in the country.
The next argument is that
FEPC was initially supported by
Communists and Socialists, that it
is Communist inspired, and that
its source and inspiration are in
Communist doctrine. This is an
attempt to condemn a worthy
piece of legislation by association
with an unworthy group. l take
sharp exception to that kind of
argument. Efforts to damage this
important piece of legislation by
association with Communist doc
trine and Socialist programs bor-
ders upon blasphemy. That is the
same word l used yesterday. 1t
borders upon blasphemy. Great
spiritual leaders of the Catholic,
Protestant and Jewish faiths have
testified in behalf of this legisla-
ton. l submit that to try to color
the argument in this debate by
saying that FEPC is somehow or
other Communist supported is to
try in some way to throw a misre-
presentation or misinterpretation
upon the legislation and the
testimony of the great spiritual
leaders who have testified in its
behalf before the Senate commit
tee.
have already quoted what the
late Monsignor John A. Ryan Of
the Catholic Church has said,
have quoted Bishop Haas, Bishop
Scheil, and noted rabbis, I have
also quoted from letters received
from the Federal Council of
Churches of Christ in America.
These great spiritual leaders put
their blessings upon fair employ
ment practice legislation. What
did they say? What did they say
as to its source? Not what did the
Senator from Minnesota say, but
what did these great spiritual
leaders say was the source and in
spiration of FEPC legislation ?
They said the inspiration was the
doctrine Of Christianity and the
words of Jesus Christ. l resent the
implication that this legislation
can even be considered to border
upon the vicious philosophy Of
communism. I am sure that the
great spiritual leaders OF this
country would feel the same re-
sentiment. I ask that the bill be
debated upon its merits. I ask that
it be debated upon the issues as re-