The daily record., 1954-02-05
SENATOR
lennon
HREPoRTS <

impressed with the appeals from
your letters both for and against
Senate Joint Resolution /, common
ly referred to as the Bricker A
mendment. This is very involved
Constitutional matter. Since coming
to the Senate last July Is, have
discussed the proposed amendment
and read just about everything a.
valuable on the subject. am sure
many of you have done the same
thing. I haven't felt like jumping
up on the stump and telling you
that I know all the answers about
a thing so important and complex.
I am still studying it. At the time
this is written, the debate on the
floor Of the Senate is hot and fur
ious. AS one of my friends who
was visiting the gallery during the
debate said, ALTON, I don't see how
q Philadelphia lawyer could get all
the facts for and against thing
like that in five years of study
especially with 1867 pages of fine
print in the testimony before the
Judiciary Committee"
AMENDMENT
Senator Walter F. George has
offered a substitute amendment.
Let me say that 1 consider him
probably the most outstanding
member of the Senate. He has been
member for 30 years, Chairman
of the Foreign Relations Commit.
ee and Is now ranking minority
member. He is considered one Of
the most prominent Constitutional
lawyers in the country. Senator
Georges substitute amendmer.
seems short and simple enough. At
ter me introduced his amendment.
/ asked Senator George to brief me
on his thinking. He did, in detail
and there were other Senators who
Joined me in listening TO his expla-
nation.
What Senator George said, with
the earnestness and sincerity of a
scholar of the old school, I shall
never forget He said that amending
the Constitution Is serious business.
and that no surplus OF words should
be used in a proposed amendment.
He feels, and I most certainly agree,
that the Constitution should be thi
supreme law of the land and SUI
preme above everything, including
international agreements. His a.
mendment says that treaties or a.
greements which conflict with the
Constitution shall not be legal and
that no international agreement
other than q treaty shall become ef-
fective as internal law In the u
nited States except by act Of Con-
gress. Perhaps by the time you read
this, the issue will have been settled
and my vote recorded. I favor the
George substitute as middle ground
Many Of my colleagues fear thai
to insist on the Bricker amendment
all the way would result In a COM
plete defeat Of all of the suggestions
and the George substitute seems
to provide, they say, the safeguard
necessary. 1t would appear thas
Senator George has come to the
front to again prove himself the
great statesman we all know him to
be. I feel confident that is the rea-
son President Eisenhower called him
to the White House recently for
his views. At the present time, !
hope and believe that the majority
of the Southern Senators will favor
the George substitute.
THIS.AND-THAT
Senator Hoey has been acclaimed
for his leadership In helping to work
out In conference the final cotton
acreage increase bill....He and
were over at the television studios
the other day to make our television
film when we ran into the Vice.
President who was just completing
his program. He was rushing around
in order to get back to open the
Senate Session. Speaking of tele-
vision. one Of the Congressmen Is
reported to have made a fluff for
sure on television when he got up
and proudly stated. Hello, ladies
and gentlemen, I'm glad to come
into your bedroom again." OF course
what he meant to say was "living
ROOM. ~ hope those Of you who
have an opportunity win read DR..
Harris prayers at the opening OF
the Senate each day. He Is pastor
Of Foundry Methodist Church here
In Washington and is Senate Chap
lain. Senator Monroney Of Okla
homa wants to convert q room in
the Capitol into q prayer room for
all members Of Congress to use 70.
meditation. think ne Is to be high
ly cotnplimented for this and 1t