Evening star., 1953-01-01
Taft Is Hopeful
0fAvertingF Fight
On Senate Rules
Expects Session
To Begin Saturday
In Routine Fushon

! SSIlaIe ledOeIS eAPItSScu GULL
fdence today that a threatening
battle over rules changes will not
Iprevent the Senate from organic
ing when the 83d Congress con-
venes Saturday.
Senator Taft, Republican. Of
Ohio, who is scheduled to become
ajority lea der, told reporters
after a series of conferences with
other Senate leaders that he be-
lieves the Senate can swear in
36 members elected in November
and conduct other opening day
business before any controversy
arises over changing a rule to
end f1libustering.
One of those with whom the
Ohio Republican conferred was
ISenator Russell of Georgia, leader
of the so-called Southern bloc
which has consistently opposed
1.-THE change in rules.
Senator Russell, an authority
on Senate rules and traditions.
said:
II don't think that the Senate
is going to tear up its rules and
create chaos"
High Court Decision Cited.
He referred to the announced
intention of group of Senators
to wage an opening day fight to
have the Senate adopt a new set
of rules with the idea of adding
restrictions on filibustering.
They plan to make the fight on
the theory that the Senate is not
a continuing body with a set Of
rules applying from one session
to the next.
Senator Russell said, however.
the question of the Senate rules
continuing from one session to
anothes had been decided many
times in the past. including 1927
Supreme Court decision.
The Georgian is expected to
raise a point of order against the
move to change the rules at the
opening session. He remarked that
he had hoped the Democrats. in
the minority, could present "a
united front"
Fear of Delay Expressed.
This was interpreted as swipe
at Democratic Senators Lehman
of New York, Humphrey Of Minis
nesota and Douglas of Illinois who
, have announced they will lead the
. fight to have the rules changed.
The three contend that the
present Senate rule requiring "a
; votes-two-thirds of the full Sem
late membership - before debate
can be limited makes it impossible
to end flibustering on such issues
as civil rights legislation. For that
reason they are proposing the
adoption of a new set of rules in
which only the one regarding fili-
clustering would be changed.
Some has expressed fear that a
Senate fight over the rules would
delay the organization perhaps
even until Inaugural Day, Janu-
ary 20.
However, Senator Taft brushed
aside such suggestions and said
that the normal thing is to swear
in newly-elected Senators first"
and carry out other routine busi-
ness of the opening session.
Taft Silent ON Own Position.
He expressed confidence the
Senate could carry out these ac-
tivities and delay until later any
fight on the rules. He declined
to make known his own position
on the rules proposal.
In the Republican ranks, SEN
ator Taft apparently ironed out
a threatened battle over the chair
manship of the Senate Republican
Policy Committee.
Some Republicans were reported
urging Senator Ferguson of Mich
igan to seek the post that Is
scheduled to go to Senator Know
land of California in the new
Congress after Senator Taft sur
renders it to become the majority
leader.
After talking with both Sena-
tors Ferguson and Knowland.
Senator Taft told reporters that
the Michigan member "is not q
candidate-at present."