Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1960-12-29

or unoecloeo Senators and
about 100 House members that
afternoon and evening and
most Of Tuesday. the day the
new Congress convenes.
Those seeking rules changes
to discourage Senate filibusters
or to weaken the House Rules
Committee power embarked on
this crusade warned that they
face tremendous odds.
Republican Senators Keat-
ing Of New York, Democratic
Senator Clark of Pennsylvania,
Representative Roosevelt, DEM
ocrat Of California, and former
Representative Andrew J. Bic
miller. AFL-CIO legislative di-
rector, told them yesterday they
face q formidable but essen
tial task.
The organization represent
atives are somewhat stymied at
the outset by inability to de-
eide Immediately on specific
changes they should ask mem
bers Of Congress to make either
in the personnel or size Of the
Rules Committee or in the sub
stantive rules.
Meeting Slated
They expect to be in a bet
ter position to present precise
program after the House Demo-
cratic Study Group meets to-
morrow or after a scheduled
Monday morning caucus Of all
House Democrats. The Demo-
cratic Study Group claims a
membership Of more than 100
Democratic liberals or MODERN
ates from areas other than
the South.
Mr.. Roosevelt, DSG vice
chairman, said yesterday the
group has studied and discussed
numerous possible moves to
liberalize House rules and "im-
prove" the 12-member Rules
Committee where q coalition
Of the four Republicans and
two or more Of the four South
ern Democratic members often
has blocked major bills.
Emphasizing that the DSG
has not vet decided its detailed
course Of action, Mr.. Roosevelt
suggested that nothing be done
until 1t hears the views and
recommendations Of Speaker
Rayburn.
See Last Opportunity
Mr.. Biemiller and joseph l.
Rauh. jr.. Americans for Dem
ocratic Action vice chairman
who presided at yesterdays
meeting, acknowledged that
Senator Heating was correct in
saying that you have an over
whelming amount Of work to
DO In the next week if you want
to succeed" They also empha-
sized that the January 3 OPEN
ing day win be the best anc
perhaps last opportunity 70,
two years to liberalize House
and Senate Rules and proce-
dures.
AT this moment" Mr.. Bic
miller declared, II don't believe
anyone on earth can tell what
will happen January 3 In the
House or Senate. I doubt that
even on Friday the Democratic
Study Group caucus will be able
to come to q firm decision. You
must keep hammering away
buttonholing everybody In the
House and Senate you can get
your hands on"
Mr.. Rauh said many legisla-
tors, especially from Midwest
and Far West districts, are still
open to persuasion that the
rules should be changed. He
predicted that we're closer to
winning than ever before both
in the House and Senate If work
is done between now and Tues
day"
Stirs Apprehension
Mr.. Roosevelt caused q mo-
mentary furry when he said it
Is perfectly possible" that
Speaker Rayburn and Rules
Committee Chairman Smith,
Democrat Of Virginia, might ar
rive at some UNDERSTANDING
that could assure unhampered
House action on the Kennedy
administrators major pro-
grams.
Spokesman for the National
Association for the Advance
ment Of Colored People voiced
apprehension that any such
understanding might be at the
expense Of further civil rights
legislation in the new Congress.
Roy Wilkins, chairman of the
leadership Conference on Civil
Rights, who presided at the
noon luncheon at which Sena-
tors Kennedy and Clark spoke
called for more "boldness" in
pressing such measures. He
said: I'VE civil rights groups
are distressed by an atmosphere
OF super caution and trial bal
looms in many quarters on the
issue Of pressing the civil rights
ISSUE"