THE CONGRESS: Hell & Close Harmony

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The fat was on the fire. For some 30 years to bring an anti-lynching bill to the floor of the Senate has been the signal for a filibuster by Southern Senators. In an instant Senator Barkley was on his feet protesting that Senator King was to have been next recognized. The Vice President's white eyebrows bristled. It was not his fault that the Leader and his man had been caught napping. He snapped:

"The Senator from Kentucky will permit the present occupant of the Chair to state that he had been so informed. . . . The chair looked around. . . . None was standing but the Senator from New York. ..." The rest of that day was given to the anti-lynching bill and Senator Borah, who believes it quite unconstitutional, proceeded to take it apart at leisure, while Leader Barkley stewed. By the close of the afternoon, Alben Barkley had another maneuver ready. He moved to adjourn (instead of recessing) overnight, which would have automatically cleared the calendar for a fresh start on another bill next day. To his dismay, the harmonious Democrats split and the motion was voted down 35-10-27. A moment later, Republican Leader Charles McNary, missing no tricks, moved to recess. Bells rang again in the corridors and a second roll call was begun. Senators began appearing through the swinging doors to answer to their names. Freshman Senator Josh Lee of Oklahoma came in and rushed to Leader Barkley:

"How shall I vote?" he demanded.

Alben Barkley, overcome with disgust at all his colleagues, snorted: "I don't know! Ask McNary! He's the only real leader round here. That was a hell of a harmony dinner we had last night."

Senator McNary's motion carried. 36-to-23.

Good Intentions. When the 75th Congress met last January the Democratic Party had a bigger majority than any party in the history of the U. S.—75 of 96 Senators, 333 of 435 Representatives. Moreover the great majority of the Majority had goodwill towards Franklin Roosevelt. The only sour note was every politician's knowledge that overwhelming majorities, like oversized amoebas, tend to split. On Feb. 5, Franklin Roosevelt dramatically disclosed his plan for enlarging the Supreme Court and the Majority began to disintegrate. The good intentions of Congress towards the President's legislative program were put on the shelf. The only things which kept the Majority from going completely to pieces were personal loyalties of long standing and the iron will of Senator Joseph T. Robinson, Democratic Leader of the Senate.

Step by step events broke down the unity of the Majority. In the spring, if the President had been willing to accept two instead of six new Justices for the Supreme Court, the greater part of his Majority would have rallied round him. Instead, their overtures rejected, the moderates became irreconcilables. When finally the President yielded, gave Leader Robinson a free hand to work out any compromise possible, the chance of doing so had grown slender. When Congress convened, Leader Robinson predicted that it would have successfully adjourned by June 2.