Evening star., 1961-09-19
Senate Kills
Rules Change
On FiIibusters
Senate Leaders
See Adjournment
Due Next Week
By J. A.. O'LEARY
Star staff Writer

The Senate today killed the
hopes Of liberals for adoption
Of a new anti-filibuster rule
this year.
The advocates of a stronger
rule failed even to. get a ma
jority on a roll call that re-
quired two-thirds of those pres
ent to limit debate under the
existing cloture rule.
The vote to invoke cloture
was 81 for to 43 against. With
30 Senators voting, the liberals
needed 81 to curb debate. They
fell II short of that goal.
Immediately after the vote,
Senate Democratic Leader
Mansfield abandoned his own
motion to consider a new rule
that would have permitted fill
busters to be choked off by a
three-fifths majority. His new
motion to table carried by a
vote of AZ to IS. -
One-HOur Curb Sought
II cloture had carried, each
Senator would have been lin
tied to one hour of speaking
time on the new rule under
which three-fifths could shut
off debate in future. This
would have guaranteed adop-
tion of the new rule within a
few days.
But with the failure of clo-
ture, Senators who oppose any
further restriction on freedom
.of debate could filibuster in
definitely if Congress decided
TO stay here.
Today's vote is expected to
bring adjournment of Congress
not later than the middle of
next week, with the rules fight
going over at least until next
year.
The failure of the liberals to
muster even a majority de-
prived Senator Heating, Re-
publican of New York, of the
chance to raise an argument
that the two-thirds require
ment is unconstitutional and
that the founding fathers in
tended that a majority in
either branch of Congress can
determine the rules. Without a
majority, however, the Keat-
ing point Of order would have
been meaningless.
Mansfield Won't Press
Senator Mansfield made it
clear he does not intend to put
the matter before the Senate
again during this year or
through the next session.
II do not believe in sham
battles" Senator M ansfield
said. IF there were a reason
able change of passage, I would
not take this position.
In the light of this vote, I
do not see what could be gained.
There would be no beneficial
effect and further consideration
would keep the Senate from do
ing the business the country
expects us to pursue"
Senator JavitS, Republican of
New York, said he regarded TO-
days debate an "ill-timed move.
not a reverse" Proponents of a
rule change should not be dis
mayed, he said. but remain de-
termined to carry on the strug.
gle at more propitiouS time.
Party Lines Split
On the crucial 1887 roll call,
Is Republicans joined % Dem
ocrats in voting against the
curbing of debate. Eleven Re-
publicans voted with 26 Demo-
Gratis in favor of cloture.
Since the cloture rule was
written in 1917 it has been used
successfully only four times
The last time was in 1927 on a
bill to create a Bureau of
Customs and Prohibition. This
was the $50 time it had been
tried.
The last attempt was during
a civil rights debate in March
Of 1860 when cloture obtained
a majority, but not the required
two-thirds. There were many
absences today because of ILL
ness and attendance at inter-
national meetings, which helps
to explain why the liberals fell
short OF even a majority.
Earlier today, Democratic
leaders had indicated at the
White House that adjournment
by Saturday is doubtful with
three major appropriation bills,
including foreign aid, still in
the works.