Evening star., 1951-04-18
Lack Of Quorum
Holds Up
Home Rule Bill
Chairman Stalks Out
After Criticism of
Tordy Members
By Don S. Worren

W SVu y. VUTJSU
Action by the Senate District
Committee on Washington's home
rule bills was blocked again today
when Chairman Nicely angrily ad-
journed a meeting because a
quorum of members failed to ap-
pear on time.
AS a result. another effort will
be made to get a quorum at an
other meeting scheduled for
10 am. next Wednesday.
But there will be no action then
unless members arrive by 1905
am, for Senator Neely warned
that he would not wait longer
than five minutes.
This is the second postponement
of action on the local suffrage is
sue. A vote was to have been
taken at a meeting a week ago
but was postponed to today when
several members asked more time
for study. At least, the agreement
was that the committee would
decide today whether it would vote
today or later.
Meeting Opened Promptly.
The meeting was opene d
promptly at 10 o'clock this morn
ing by Chairman Nicely. Only five
members were present. Chairman
Neely was the only Democrat on
hand. Others on time were Re-
publican Senators Case of South
Dakota, Butler of Maryland, We'll
ker of Idaho and Bennett of Utah.
Senator Neely suggested that the
group go ahead with discussion
while waiting for the absentees,
but it seemed no one was anxious
to start debate. Senator Neely's
Temperature began to rise as the
hand of the clock moved to 1905.
and at last he called the meeting
off.
At that point Senator Kefauver
Democrat, of Tennessee, one of
the principal sponsors of the bill,
stuck his head in the door to say
he would be back in a minute
after he had made a phone call.
But his presence would have
left the committee still one short
OF a quorum of seven of the 13
members. So Chairman Neely re-
fused to wait longer and turned
loose blast of wrath at the
abSenteeS.
Jab at Kefauver.
IF members of the committee
do not have a sufficient sense of
responsibility or a sufficient sense
OF duty to come to these meetings,
you're going to have to get some
one else to take charge of this
BILL" he said. !.
I'm not going to sit around
here for a half hour waiting for
members who can't come to meet
lngs on time. Life is too short. I
nave too little sand in my hour
glass to be sitting around here
waiting.N
And he took a jab at Senator
kefauver. reminding him that
after all. this is your bill"
Senator Kefauver is the head of
the Home Rule Subcommittee and
was the author of the bill for an
elected city, government which the
Senate passed in 1949. An almost
identical bill now is before the
committee o-sponsored by a dozen
members of the Senate. including
senators Nicely and Taft, Ohio
Republican.
Senator Kefauver said he was
sorry to be late. He told Senator
Nicely he had flown to Washington
from Chicago last night. especially
so he could attend today's meeting
Stalks Out of Room.
But Senator Neely would wait
no longer and stalked wrathfully
out of the room.
The Kefauver-Taft bill would
abolish the Board of Commits
sioners and substitute a city
council of II members, nine
elected by the city at large and
two appointed by the President.
1t also calls for an elected School
Board.
This bill has been attacked by
Senator Case. who is sponsoring a
substitute bill. This would retain
the Board of Commissioners and
calls for a city council of q mem
bers, elected by wards, and for the
election of non-voting District
delegate in the House.