Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-26
Senate Near
Crucial Vote
On Pact Curbs
Bricker Plan Loses
By SOAP Margin;
3 Courses Open

AA0AAs Viva SAS0Vy P0WOAS WILL
three courses Of action possible
!. Adoption of three single
changes in the Constitution f..
vored by the administrati ton
which make no essential charge
in the Presidents treaty powers
2. Adoption of the substitute
Of Senator George, Democrat, Of
Georgia. which leaves treaties
undisturbed. but would require
an act of Congress on any exec
utive agreement with another
country If it affects internal Law
in the United States.
3. Defeat of all efforts tt
amend the Constitution.
Plan Defeated.
The substance of the plan oil
Senator Bricker, Republican, OF
Ohio. which started the contro.
versy. was defeated yesterday
so to AZ.
The Senate also refused late
yesterday, "a to Is, to send the
whole subject back to the Judi.
ciary Committee for further
study.
Defeat of the Bricker propose
was a victory for President Ell.
senhower. but he owes it to ths
Democrats. not to the Repub.
licans. Out Of 81 Republican
Senators. 20 voted for tn,
Bricker plan, only IL supported
the administration and one wa
absent.
On the Democratic side. 8.
supported the administration
while Is voted with Senate
Bricker. Three Democrats wer,
absent.
The defeated Bricker amend,
ment would have required al
act Of Congress to implement
both treaties and executive
agreements before they could at.
feet internal law. unless the Sen.
ate saw At to exempt specific
treaties from that requirement
George Optimistic.
Senator George said today HI
believes his substitute will come
very close to receiving the two.
thirds required to pass a con.
Stitutional amendment. The frs
vote on it, however. will require
only q simple majority TO sub.
stitute it for the three admins.
tration amendments already ten.
tatively approved.
Well informed Republican.
predicted that while Senator
George will get a majority t.
substitute his plan for the mildel
administration program. they
doubt he will reach the two.
thirds mark for final passage
If Senator George wins on thu
first test. Senators will then fac,
the alternative of passing thu
George plan or nothing.
The administration amend.
ments, already tentatively ap.
proved. would add these three
provisions to the Constitution:
!. A declaration that no treaty
or international agreement that
conflicts with the Constitution
shall be Of any force or effect;
2. A requirement that treaties
like laws. must be made ''in pur-
suance" Of the Constitution;
8. A requirement that the
Senate take a record vote on all
future treaties.
Five Weeks Of Debate.
The Senate today is near the
end of i've weeks of treaty de-
bate and Republican Leader
Knowland hopes the issue will
be disposed Of by nightfall.
To prevent final passage Of the
George plan the administration
would need 80 votes. assuming
every Senator is voting. Those
who hope to beat the George
plan are counting on the fact
that the II Republicans who
voted against Senator Bricker
yesterday will stand firm with
the Is Democrats and one hide
pendent Morse of Oregon) who
voted to recommit.
The strength Of the George
plan lies in the fact that it will
get many Of the Democrats who
voted against the Bricker plan
plus most Of the Bricker sup
porters on the Republican side.
George Chides Opponents.
Senator George yesterday
chided Senators who ara willing
to be guided by the White House
or the Attorney General in the
treaty fight. Declaring that the
founding fathers lid not give
the President or his subordinates
any power in connection with
changes in the Constitution
Senator George added:
IF you are going 20 be guided