Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-02
The Political Mil
Eisenhower Is Victor
In Two Nitul Bottles
Brieker Amendment Put
Down, Warren Confirmed
By Gould Lincoln

By Gould Lincoln
President Eisenhower has succeeded
In getting two more Of his recommen-
datiOns by the Senate: The defeat Of
the Bricker amendment to the Consti-
tuition and the appointment Of Chief
Justice Warren. No one ever had any
doubt that the Chief Justices appoint
ment would be confirmed. but stub
born chairman Of the Senate judiciary
Committee, Senator LANCER Of North
Dakota. wanted his committee to in
vestigate . long series Of charges
against the Chief Justice completely
northumberland 50 held up action
In his committee for q month and a
half. When the vote was taken in the
Senate, no Senator raised his voice
against confirmation Of the appoint
ment.
When it comes to the Bricker amend
ment-as amended by the George SUBJ
stitute-which was designed to curtail
the Presidents power effectively to
make executive agreements with for
eign nations. President Eisenhower's
position was saved-by single vote.
The Bricker amendment as originally
HAVPOCCA, WAA4NA WVAA0 law AAo$AV Az
more difficult for the President to carry
out his treaty-making powers as well
as to effect executive agreements, never
obtained q majority vote Of the Senate.
It Is deader than Q doornail. The
George substitute, on the other hand,
failed by one vote to obtain the neces-
sary two-thirds vote in the Senate to
submit a constitutional amendment to
the States. Sixty Senators voted for
the George proposal and 81 against it.
Detection in Party.
The amazing-and disturbing to the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Of the Senate
vote on the George substitute lies in the
fact that 80 Republican Senators
deserted the President on this issue and
only II voted with him. Among those
who voted against the President were
Senator Knowland of California. Re-
publican leader Of the Senate; Senator
Millikin of Colorado, chairman Of the
Republican Conference of the Senate.
and such Stalwart Republicans as Sen
ators Dirksen of Illinois, Carlson of
Kansas, Martin of Pennsylvania and
Hendrickson of New Jersey. Voting with
the President were Senator Ferguson
OF Michigan, chairman of the Republic
car Policy Committee: Senator Salton-
stall of Massachusetts,, Republican whip;
Senator Wiley of Wisconsin, chairman
of the Foreign Relations Committee,
and Senators Smith of New Jersey, Ives
of New York, and Duff of Pennsylvania,
among others. The President had 16
Democrats with him and one indie
pendent. Senator Morse of Oregon
TwenIy-eight Democrats voted for the
George substitute, offered by the greatly
respected Senator George of Georgia,
Democrat.
President Eisenhower had expressed
his entire willingness to have written
into the Constitution statement to the
effect that no treaty or agreement
should run counter to the Constitution
OF the United States, although he
insisted that was already the actual
situation.
Not Enough.
But that was not enough for the OPP
position. They insisted the Constitution
should be amended in way that would
change the powers given to the execu-
tive and legislative branches of the
Government, taking away from the
executive and giving to the legislative.
This. by the way, was the first serious
effort to change these powers that has
ever advanced SO far toward consum-
nation.
1t has been argued that the President
should have kept aloof in this contest
because Congress exercises the right to
submit constitutional amendments to
the States without approval or disap-
proval of the Chief Executive. In this
particular case, however, the President
was interested in preserving the ball
ance Of powers as provided in the Con-
stitution. Further, in times OF tension,
a President should not have his hands
tied in making executive agreements,
which might have to wait congressional
action.
The fight for the Bricker amendment
Or some modification such as the
George Substitute-haS by no means
ended, although there may be no
further effort to obtain vote at this
session. The lines having been drawn.
it seems unlikely that the supporters
Of the proposed amendment would be
able to change the result, even on a
motion to reconsider. If the entire
membership had been present and vot-
ing, and there were five absentees, the
President would have been better OIL
by at least another vote. 1t is said.