Evening star., 1950-05-08
Senate Opens
Annual Fight
On Civil Rights
FEPC Bill Is Chosen
For Test; Showdown
Comes Next Week
By J. A. O'LeoN


rights legislation is due to get OFT
to slow start in the Senate to-
day, with no showdown likely be-
fore next week.
Administration leaders have
chosen the Fair Employment
Practices bill from several civil
rights measures for a test OF
strength with the Southern Dem
ocrats, who are ready. as in the
past, to filibuster against what
they contend would be Federal in
terference with the rights of the
States.
Both the Republican and Demo-
cratic Parties are on record for a
civil rights program, and the
House has passed a voluntary
FEPC bill. Leaders of both major
parties recognize, however, that
approximately 20 Southern Sena-
tors, taking turns in holding the
Senate floor, can put off a vote on
the bill indefinitely unless the new
year-old anti -fllibuster rule can
be invoked.
Lucas to Bring Up Issue.
Majority Leader Lucas of Illi-
nois has decided to let the debate
go on for a week before trying to
apply the cloture rule, which, if
adopted, would limit each Senator
to one hour of oratory.
The new rule requires 64 votes
two thirds of the entire Senate,
regardless of whether all Senators
are present-and the big question
mark today was whether that
many Democrats and Republicans
from the North and West will
unite to shut off debate.
In fact, the leaders may have
to go through the cloture fight
twice-f1rst to get the bill up, and
later to force a final vote, if the
first attempt succeeds. The fight
will start today. with Senator
Lucas making the motion to take
up the EFPC measure.
The Southerners. using every
privilege accorded them by the
rules. can keep the bill from being
placed formally before the Senate
by unlimited debate unless cloture
is invoked.
Republicans on Spot.
In this congressional election
year, with civil rights an issue in
most big cities, Republicans will
be somewhat on the spot when
the new cloture rule is put to its
first test. because they took a
prominent role in the adoption of
the rule last year. It is referred
to by many as the Wherry rule,
because of the active part the Re
publican floor leader took in work.
ing it out.
II 1t fails in its first test, North
ern Democrats undoubtedly will
try to show that a Republican
sponsored rule made it impossible
to pass civil rights bill. For
that reason some observers be-
lieve the Republicans will make
every effort to have most of its
members on hand for the first
cloture test. Present indications
are that the Republicans are
likely to produce half of the 81
votes required. even though they
have less than half the total mem
bership.
The Senate stands today at 81
Democrats and AZ Republicans,
but when approximately 20 South
ern Democrats are marked off
against cloture at the start. it
leaves Senator Lucas with only "a
to turn to for votes TO support
cloture. There are some Western
Democrats who usually oppose
cloture on principle, which means
that the administration will have
difficulty reaching the 64-vote
goal. even if 80 or more Republi-
cans support the rule.
Reorganization Fight.
The civil rights fight may be in
terrupted for one day this week by
the effort of Senator Taft, Re-
publican, of Ohio, to block Presi-
dent Truman's reorganization of
the National Labor Relations
Board, which takes effect May "a
unless the Senate or House dis
approve it in the meantime.
| The law limits debate on a re-
organization plan to 10 hours, but
leaders of the organized supporters
of FEPC today opposed bringing
up the reorganization fight at this
time.