Evening star., 1950-02-16
Ru|esCon1n1ittee
Refuses Clear
.FEPC Bill, 6-6
Sobath Urges Action,
But Loses in Tie Vote;
Session Is Closed

~S1SiS' - ~1SSSd
The House Rules Committee re-
fused again today to clear the
controversial FEPC bill for floor
action.
The new effort to dislodge the
nti-discrimination measure failed
by 6-6 tie vote.
FEPC hackers then turned their
attention back to the calendar
Wednesday, procedure. Oppo-
nents of the bill lost a parlia-
mentary delaying action yester-
day by the intervention Of Speaker
Rayburn and the way was cleared
for Gallup of FEPC next
Wednesday,, when the House La
Dor Committee gets it's turn under
the weekly call of committees.
The FEPC legislation has been
reported favorably by the Labor
committee.
SABBATH Urges Clearance.
Chairman SABBATH of the Rules
Committee urged at the opening
of today's session of his commit
tee that the bill be sent to the
floor under regular procedure to
eliminate further parliamentary
,maneuVering involving means Of
by-passing the committee.
MI. SABBATH asked an end to
the delay of important legisla-
ton"
NeWsmen were present, and
Representative Herter, Republi-
can, of Massachusetts,, asked
whether the committee was going
TO vote in open or closed session.
Representative Smith, Democrat,
of Virginia commented that
precedent" would be broken if
the group acted in the open. He
added, however, that he didn't
care personally and was ready to
be recorded publicly as against
FEPC.
Reconsideration Carries.
MI. SABBATH then ordered a
closed session. He announced aft
erward that Representative Brown,
Republican, of Ohio had moved
reconsideration OF the previous
refusal of the committee to give a
go-ahead on floor debate of FEPC.
That motion carried, Mr.. SABBATH
said, but the vote on clearance
ended in a tie.
A tie has been the best FEPC
supporters have been able to get
from the rules group this session.
Two Republicans Joined four
administration Democrats today
in voting to send the bill to the
House. Two Republicans and
four Southern Democrats opposed
such action.
The Rules Committee approved
a resolution by Mr.. Smith which
would guarantee the reading of
George Washington farewell ad-
dress next MISUNDERSTANDING
tons Birthday. Technically, only
Calendar Wednesday BUSINESS
would be in order, but reading
OF the address is tradition.
Not Involved in Filibuster.
Mr.. Smith and Majority Leader
Mccormack agreed on the floor
yesterday that the reading of the
address should not become in
volved in the expected filibuster
against FEPC.
Members fighting the bill, which
would set up Federal commits
sion to act against racial or re-
ligious discrimination in employ
ment, used succession of roll
calls as delaying device yester-
day. 1t was the turn of the Dis
trlct Committee on Calendar We'd
nesday. FEPC opponents hoped.
however, to win adjournment Of
the House without any action on
District matters, thereby leaving
them as the order of business for
next Wednesday. /
They did we'll for four hours,
then Mr.. Rayburn angrily gavelled
down adjournment motions and
called on Chairman Mcmillan of
the District Committee. Mr.. Nc
MILAN took his turn, calling up a
bill to re-incorporate the Girl
Scouts under a Federal charter.
The bill was passed without OBJ
lection.
The rest of the District bills on
the calendar were left over for
House consideration on some flu
ture day-probably regular
District" Day-When they will
not be involved in national issues.