Evening star., 1961-01-31
Committee Packing Cry
Raised in House Debate

agr. ~ -
Continued From First Page
party that has a majority in
the House should have the right
to organize the House. I shall
support this resolution, but I
hope that if it prevails a third
wrong will not come into play.
I hope that gag rules against
the minority will not come out
Of the enlarged committee. I
intend to oppose most Of the
legislation 1 hear President
Kennedy is going to send up to
Congress. But I believe we
should fight it out on the floor
Of the House on its merits"
When the House convened a
burst Of applause from the
Democratic side of the chamber
greeted Speaker Rayburn. Some
spectators in the gallery also
applauded. The Speaker, how
ever, quickly quieted the House
and q quorum call was ordered
to determine how many mem
bers were on hand for the
crucial test of his power and
prestige and the future of the
Kennedy administrations legis-
lative program.
The Republican attack, led
by Minority Leader Halleck,
sought defeat of the Rayburn
plan as being not only unfair.
unwise. unjustified and unnec-
essary, but also "untimely."
why isn't it the better part
of wisdom and good judgment"
Mr.. Halleck asked the House,
Ito move along with the work
of Congress and see what the
Rules Committee does with re-
spect to clearing the so-called
key or important measures to
the floor?
: Instead Of falsely and un-
fairly assuming that a recall
citrant Rules Committee will
arbitrarily block consideration
Of important m assures we
might better wait before we
take precipitate action. In the
final analysis, and speaking for
myself, have no fear of bring
ing to the floor and subjecting
to full and free debate, meas
ures which by any reasonable
standard should be considered
by the House"
Arends Sees Rubber Stamp"
Representative Arends of
Illinois, House Republican
whip, charged that the obvious
purpose of the resolution was
to convert the committee from
q screening group into a rub
Der stamp for whatever our
new President may propose,
and subject to the dictates of
our Speaker"
He, as well as Representative
Clarence J. Brown of Ohio,
-+senior Republican on the Rules
Committee, warned that pack
ing" of this committee would
set . dangerous and unwar-
ranted precedent.
If we adopt this resolution,
Mr.. Arends said I'VE shall be
in general establishing such
a precedent that memberships
Of committees are to be ad-
justed in accordance with what
any administration may pro-
pose and what the present
Speaker, or any Speaker to
follow, may dictate as to what
Is to be done with respect to
what is proposed" =
Mr.. Brown compared the
committee expansion move
with the 1887 attempt Presi-
dent Roosevelt made to pack
the Supreme Court so as to
obtain the favorable decisions
he desired"
Mr.. Brown said that never
before had such an attempt
been made to pack any House
committee in order to control
its legislation, although the
size of some committees has
been changed from time to
time "for proper purposes"
Obstruction Denied
He denied that the Repub-
licanS in the House are OBJ
structionists and promised that
If he or his party colleagues
disagreed with administration
measures, they would offer
substitute proposals for House
consideration.
The debate began amid in.
creasing pressure and implied
charges that failure to sup
port Mr.. Rayburn might cost
some members favorite prof.
ects In their home districts
E. President Kennedy chatted
with many House Democrats
yesterday at the Capitol before
and after delivering his state
of-the-Union message. There
was no indication. however,
that he asked anyone to sup
port the Rayburn proposal or
that he personally has used
the White House telephone for
such a purpose.
MIR. Rayburn told reporters al
the White House after a break.
fast conference of Democratic
congressional leaders with Pres
ident Kennedy today that 81
think we are going to win."
He said the matter was moi
discussed with Mr.. Kennedy
today.
A few Southern Democrats
professed to see in the Kennedy
speech yesterday hint thai
opponents Of the Rayburn plar
might have difficulty getting
or keeping Government prof.
ects in their districts. They reac
this into the statement thai
the Pentapon might dispose o