House Tactics

Once upon a time Vice President Charles G. Dawes loudly scolded the Senate for its dilatory methods, roundly exhorted it to speed up its work, achieved nothing. Last week Vice President Garner without warning started to teach the Senate some of the hurry-up tricks he had learned as Speaker of the House.

When the District of Columbia liquor bill was before the Senate, Senator Capper got up, proposed a long list of amendments which would have changed the whole nature of the act. No other Senators were interested in the amendments. They sat idly by waiting for him to finish. As Mr. Capper proposed each amendment the following occurred:

Mr. Garner: All in favor vote "Aye."

Mr. Capper (vociferously): Aye.

Mr. Garner: Those opposed "No." (Complete silence in the Senate.)

Mr. Garner: The "Noes" have it.

Senator Capper, knowing his cause was hopeless, made no protest.

Two days later Mr. Garner tried more House tactics. When the Senate convened, the St. Lawrence Waterway Treaty was unfinished business. Mr. Garner snapped:

"The question is on the St. Lawrence Waterway Treaty. All in favor say 'Aye.' "

The Senators who had no intention of voting on the Treaty for many a day to come were all but caught napping and forced to vote at once. Senator Robinson of Arkansas saved their face by jumping to suggest that his colleagues wanted more debate.

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