Evening star., 1960-06-19

Since the original Senate
version had been changed so
radically, this posed a serious
threat to the entire amend
ment. Chairman Celler con-
Cured, however, with the in
tention of trying to get the
Senate number" restored to
the bill after the House COM
pleted action.
This unusual strategic ma
neuver was accomplished in rec
lord time. In less than "a hours
MIR. Celler convened his COM
Imittee, got it to reapprove the
bill with House number" and
shot it back to Mr.. Smith.
Just as quickly Mr.. Smith
obtained his committees ap-
proval and sent it to the House
floor, with a clearance for de-
bate but no amendments.
Only Two Hours Of Debate
Last Tuesday, during two
hours of debate, not a single
House member opposed the
vote : for President provision,
and it sailed through by the
necessary two-thirds voice vote.
Indeed, most of the debate
dealt not with whether this
much should be granted, but
with dissatisfaction that more
was not included. To one such
complainant, however, Mr.. Gel
Ter had this to say:
II am what one would call
IA practical politician. I could
not get through my committee
on the judiciary nor could l
get through this House all that
the gentleman wants. . I had
a prediction to widen it a
little bit, but I had to bow to
the wishes Of my commit
tee. -.
They offered. amendments
and we fashioned the pro-
posed legislation. :. I think
it is a good bill. On the way to
the summit we may have to
visit a number of plateaus.
This is one of the plateaus. :"
In other words the resolution
was a compromise-and it was
that or nothing.
AS part of the compromise,
Mr.. Celler also had to exact
a promise from Senator Hol-
land that the latter would not
try to add his poll tax amend.
ment when the legislation
reached the Senate. This he
did, and the poll tax hurdle
was crossed.
Final Tense Moment
One final tense moment In
the House remained, how
ever-the most tense of all.
That came after the House
approval. when Mr.. Celler
moved to restore the Senate
number" to the bill. The
reason for the tensenesS was
that unanimous consent is
needed for such a change, and
a single objection could have
blocked the move-and very
possibly killed the entire legis-
lation.
When the unanimous consent
was asked, however, it was
granted, and the resolution was
sent back to the Senate.
Last Thursday night-just
two days after the House clear
ance-Majority Leader john
son called up the amendment
in the Senate.
Again by a voice vote the
House version was approved,
and the fight was over.
AS in the House, virtually the
only protests were against the
limitations imposed by the
House Rules and Judiciary
Committees. Senator Heating,
who last year was more re-
sponsible than anyone else for
setting the constitutional
amendment on its way, bitterly
condemned the cutbacks as a
watering down to something
less than "a full measure of
democracy"
Despite his disappointment,
Senator Keating voted for the
amendment, recognizing that at
that stage there was no other
course except to kill it. And
Senator Holland, although his
own amendment had been lost
in the shuttle. carried out his
gracious" agreement with Mr..
Cellar not to press for it fur
ther at this time, and voted
for the District suffrage
amendment.
AS Mr.. Celler pointed out,
however, the right to vote for
President and Vice President Is
one plateau" in the drive for
complete national suffrage. If
the job is to be finished, District
representation in the Congress
will come later.
Seven years, under the Iegis-
lation, is permitted to obtain
ratification of the constitutional
amendment by two-thirds of
the so States. Proponents of
District suffrage hope this goal
will be attained in time for
Washingtonians to cast their
votes for President and Vice
President in 1864, along with
all other Americans.