St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1957-07-05

Of the rules. which has DELAYED ac-
ton, but the committee has APP
piled the rules. Now we are apply
ing the rules. II is just that
simple
Someone may say, Well. that
does not seem TO be very kind" I
am not personal about this, This
is not matter OF being kind; II is
a matter OF being fair. What is
fair ? To apply the law, as the law
is written, with equity, with equal
application, to friend and foe a
like.
AS I said earlier, the Judiciary
Committee has prided itself upon
a meticulous application of the
rules, including the rule govern
ing the ascertainment of a quor-
UNI, covering the necessity of the
representative Of committee
coming before the Senate and ask
ing unanimous consent TO have the
right to meet, including the desig-
nation of the day upon which
committee meets, and the right Of
a member of the committee to in
terogate witnesses. am not COM
planning about that. II is simply
matter of record. have heard
members of the committee, includ-
ing its distinguished chairman,
say that not a rule Of the commit
tee has been abrorogated.
The Senate has rule XIV. Is the
Committee on the Judiciary to be
denied the right TO pass judge
ment on the House binP II no
House bill had ever been before
the committeeman do not mean
the number of the bill; ] mean the
substance the answer could
be made: yes. But l submit to
any reasonable person that the
substance, the details, the articles
the provision, the penalties
every part of the House bill which
is now lying on the desk of the
Presiding Officer has been before
the Committee on the Judiciary
all year long.
Also, may say most respect
fully, there are hardly any sec
rets about what Is I'm the bill.
have also heard Senators say
there need TO be committee hear
ings on the bill. Committee hear
ing on the bin? Perhaps more
hearings are needed. II so, and II
il is the judgement OF the United
States Senate that there be more
hearings, il takes only a quorum,
a majority of the Senate to get
them. A majority of the Senate
can get the bill off the calendar
and have il sent to the committee,
if the Senate feels there is need
for hearings.
do not think anyone is being
stampeded here. There are many
Senators who have never shown
any tendency to be stampeded a
bout anything. They have shown
themselves-and say this re-
spectfully-to be men of stature,
of character, of stability, of
sound judgement.
They are not going to be STAN
peded. But If a majority of the
Senate feel that a civil rights bill
which is placed on the calendar
ought to go to committee, so that
more information can be obtained
on the subject, all that is neces-
sary is to have a majority of the
Senate so vote, and the bill will go
to the committee.
l have been told that what we
are doing is disciplining the com
mittee before the committee has
had a chance TO act on the bill. No
/ cannot agree with that. / do not
think we are disciplining the Ju-
dietary Committee. think what
we are saying to the Judiciary
Committee is, You have had not
only months, you have had years,
and you are unwilling to act, for
some reason we cannot quite UNI
derstand."
There is another procedure pro-
vided in the rules of the Senate,
and that procedure undoubtedly
was put there simply because of
this very situation, but If the COM
mittee does not want to act, there
is a way to get action.
Someone may say, you can dis
charge the committee" If the
Senate wants to discharge the
committee, 1t can discharge the
committee any time after II sends
the bill TO the committee. II is not
necessary to wait months. The
Senate can discharge the commit
tee the next day after II sends a
bill to the committee.
Continued Next Week.