Evening star., 1950-01-21
The Political Mil
Truman Victory on Rules
To Have Its Reverse Side
Bitterness on Civil Rights Program
To Be Accentuated in South
By Gould Lincoln


President Trumans victory against a
combination Of Republicans and Southern
Democrats in the battle to make the House
Rules Committee once again supreme-and
so check in the committee Mr.. Truman's
program-can be attibuted to two things:
First, the reluctance of many Republicans
to be put in the position of blocking action
on the Fair Employment Practices Commis-
sion BILL the main item in the Presidents
civil rights program; second, the torrent
Of comment, newspaper and radio, attack
ing the proposal to restore the Rules Com
mittee to its old power.
Indeed, the Republicans found themselves
in tough spot. AS a party they have gone
on record as favoring civil rights legislation.
At the same time. the Republicans have de-
clared themselves hostile to Mr.. Truman's
domestic program, which contains many
Fair Deal" measures. BY resorting to the
Rules Committee, dominated by a combi-
nation Of Southern Democrats, who hate the
civil rights program, and Republicans, the
power to bottle up Truman measures, the
Republicans would gain one objective. but
in so doing. would place themselves in po-
sition Of opposing early action on FEPC.
Vote of 236 to 1873.
So 81 Republican members of the House
teamed up with I'll Democratic and one
posed change in the rules by vote of 238
to 1873. If 40 Of those Republicans who voted
with the Truman forces had gone along with
the SO Republicans and IS Democrats who
supported the proposed change in the rules,
Mr.. Truman would have lost this fight
Having won this fight, it now is up to
Mr.. Truman and his leaders in the House
to get the FEPC bill to the floor without
further delay. If the House Rules Com
r,at4 u IT,
under the rules as they stand Speaker Ray
burn can recognize Representative Lesin-
ski of Michigan, Democrat to offer motion
to take the bill up. Mr.. Lesinski is chair
man Of the Committee on Education and
Labor. Mr.. Rayburn is from Texas, where
an FEPC law has host of enemies BY
the failure Of the proposed change in the
rules, which would have blocked Lesinski
motion now in order, Mr.. Rayburn is con-
tinued in a rather embarrassing spot.
Further, If the Truman administration
insists on jamming the FEPC bill down the
throats Of the Southern Democrats of the
House. the bitterness against Mr.. Truman
and the remainder Of his program will be
accentuated So the Truman victory in
the House Rules fight has its reverse side.
Coalition Still Strong.
Also. the coalition of Republicans and
Southern Democrats in the House remains
strong enough to kill such items of the
Presidents program as repeal of the Taft
Hartley Act, enactment of the Brannan
farm plan and enactment of compulsory
health insurance. It can, too, prevent tax
increases and some of the government
spending which the President is proposing.
The defeat of the administrations bill to
provide $60,000,000 in economic aid for
Korea by such combination of House
votes Is case in point
So while the Truman Democrats are
cheering over the rules victory they may
soon begin to wonder what they are cheer
ing about. They may wonder still more
should the House Veterans Committee
force to the floor a soldiers pension bill,
costing untold billions. Then the Truman
Democrats, unless they accept such a meas
ure. would have to go on record against
tin a campaign year.
The House Rules Committee In the past
has acted as an effective check against un-
sound legislation. But 1t was denounced.
too, on the ground that it was autocratic
and arbitrary. Many of its critics have
failed to say, however, that majority of
the House. by signing discharge petition,
could bring a measure the majority sup
ported to the floor of the House for action.
The Rules Committee was in full power
In the Both Congress- Republican Con-
gress which declined to do Mr.. Truman's
bidding. That Congress was able to bring
the Government budget into balance for
the first time in Is years of Democratic rule
and the Rules Committee, by sitting tight
on number of Mr.. Trumans big spending
projects, made that possible