Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-05
Continued From First Page

rules tight. This is because civil
rights bills frequently have been
blocked by unlimited debate.
Overshadowing the rules fight
itself. however, was a dramatic
conflict which developed over
the issue between Vice President
Nixon and Senate Republican
Leader Knowland-both Cali
fornians and both potential Re-
publican candidates for Presi-
dent in 1860.
/, Most observers agreed the Vice
President had strengthened his
position for 1860 by agreeing
with the liberals that the Senate
has a right to adopt new rules
at the start of new Congress
whenever a majority is in favor
Of doing so.
The rules issue has been cou-
pied with civil rights in recent
elections and is regarded as a
potent factor in Northern States
with large Negro populations.
But Senator Knowland took
sharp issue with the position of
his fellow Californian. He
warned that the work of the
Senate could be halted for
months. and the security of the
Nation endangered. if the prece-
dent were established that a
majority of the Senate could
overhaul all Of the rules at the
start OF each new Congress.
He said that if the Anderson
motion had prevailed yesterday,
there would be no committees
legally qualified to receive Presi-
dent EiSenhower's important
message today on the Middle
East situation.
Sees Rule-by-One Peril
While the rules were being re-
written, he said, the Senate
could operate only by unanimous
consent. He warned that would
mean one arbitrary Senator could
prevent action and he said that
would be minority rule with a
vengeance. He said it would
leave the Senate for weeks as a
jungle without rules.
Senator Knowland declared his
support of the civil rights pro-
gram to be introduced next week,
and also announced he will pro-
pose a more liberal rule under
which two-thirds of the Senators
present could close debate in a
filibuster instead of the present
constitutional two-thirds, of Ga
The Knowland proposal would
enable two-thirds of a quorum
or minimum of 33. to limit
debate and would also repeal an
existing rule which says that de-
bate can never be limited on a
change in the rules.
Mr.. Nixon had called this par
ticular rule unconstitutional in
his informal opinion.
Senator Knowland said some
persons had suggested to him
there would be a partisan ad-
vantage for the Republicans if
they went along with the Ander-
son move to rewrite the rules.
But he said he had answered
that he would never use his
position as Republican leader for
partisan advantage at the ex-
pense of the Senate.
The Senate was proceeding
under an agreement which pre-
vented the Vice President from
passing on points Of order. But
it allowed him to state his posi-
ton by answering a parliament
tary inquiry.
Nixon Answers Query
Senator Humphrey, Democrat
of Minnesota, a leading advocate
Of revamping the rules. put the
question to Mr.. Nixon. The Vice
President replied:
The question posed by the
preliminary inquiry is, in effect.
Do the rules of the Senate con-
tinue from one Congress TO an
other? Although there is a great
volume OF written comment and
opinion TO the effect that the
Senate is continuing body with
continuing rules, as well as some
opinion to the contrary, the pre-
siding officer of the Senate has
never ruled directly on this ques-
ton. Since there are no bind
ing precedents. we must first
turn to the Constitution for
guidance.
THE constitutional provision
under which only one-third of
the Senate membership is
changed by election in each Con-
eress can only be construed to
indicate the intent of the trainers
that the Senate be a continuing
parliamentary body for at least
some purposes.
by practice. for 167 years the
rules OF the Senate have been
continued from one Congress to
another. The Constitution also
provides that each House may
determine the rules Of its pro-
ceedings.' This constitutional
right is lodged in the member
ship of the Senate, and 1t may
be exercised by a majority OF
the Senate at any time Where
the membership Of the Senate
changes as 1t does upon the
election Of each new Congress