Whole, but in the Convention, there was no
need to put any further restrictions on
what the content of debate on third reading
would be; so we rejected that proposal.
There was also some question of whether
the Chair had authority to call upon vari-
ous committee chairmen to give a little
status report whenever that was appro-
priate, whether we needed a rule for that.
The committee was of the opinion that no
such rule was necessary.
So at the end, I return to the beginning,
which was our proposed amendment to Rule
5. Let me put it this way: The original pro-
posal was that both the chairman and the
vice-chairman of the committees of this
Convention would be selected by the Presi-
dent, but in the meeting of the Temporary
Rules Committee a few days before our
organizing session in July, on motion, I be-
lieve of Delegate Gallagher, it was ap-
proved, recommended and approved that
vice-chairmen be elected. During the debate
on the adoption of the rules in our orga-
nizing session in July, I believe Delegate
Grumbacher offered an amendment which
would have made the vice-chairmen subject
to the same procedure as the chairman.
Both would be appointed. That motion was
defeated. In the interval Senator Malkus
sponsored an amendment which would go
back to the original amendment, the orig-
inal proposal and have vice-chairmen ap-
pointed by the President. There were a
number of us the first time around on the
committee, a substantial majority, I guess
all but one, who thought Senator Malkus's
suggestion was a sound one. This was the
way it should have been done in the first
instance. However, I for one now recognize
the wisdom of the rule that required the
proposed amendment to the rules to lay
over for two days. During the two full ses-
sions, actually almost three, since you had
this proposed change on Tuesday, it has
been possible for myself and other mem-
bers of the Rules Committee to contact
especially chairmen of the substantive com-
mittees. It is a matter of indifference to
them whether the vice-chairmen are elected
or whether appointed by the President.
This, then, removes one of the assumptions
upon which the rule change was made. The
committee originally recommended that the
vice-chairmen be appointed because this
would possibly avoid a hazard arising from
a dispute with their chairmen and being
elected by their peers. He would have been
appointed by the President. There might
be a division of power, and the vice-chair-
man might be the really powerful man. On
the other hand, the Convention would be |
looking to the chairman to get the job
done, but since we now have learned that
the chairmen are not at all concerned about
the rule as it now stands, and since un-
fortunately, due to, well, I think it has
been misconstrued and misinterpreted as a
possible clash of power, and would produce
a floor fight for nothing, finally because as
one of the Committee members points out,
what does a vice-chairman do? It is sort of
like Will Rogers's definition of a lieutenant
governor. He knocks on the door. The door
opens. He says. "how is the Governor;"
someone says, "fine." He says "Oh, hell,"
and goes out and plays golf.
Really, when you reduce it to its simplest
terms, the committee felt that the game
was not worth the gamble, and we are
therefore withdrawing our proposed amend-
ment to Rule 5. Therefore, Mr. President,
fellow delegates, I move that the first re-
port of the Committee on Rules. Credentials
and Convention Budget be adopted with
the exception that our proposed amendment
to Rule 5 and Rule 20 be withdrawn and
not be considered part of the report now
pending before the Convention.
THE PRESIDENT: Before we act on
the motion, or even receive a second, I
want to give the delegates the opportunity
to ask the Chairman of the committee any
questions about his report up to this point.
Are there any questions to be asked of the
Chairman of the committee? Delegate
Chabot?
. DELEGATE CHABOT: A parliamentary
inquiry, Mr. Chairman: The rule that limits
the members to speaking once on each sub-
ject, does this apply to the entire report
or may they speak once as to all the amend-
ments, or are the amendments to be taken
up seriatum so that we may speak once as
to each of them?
THE PRESIDENT: The Chair proposes
to make the following rules in connection
with the report of the Committee and the
motion just made.
In the absence of objection, the Com-
mittee's withdrawal of its proposed amend-
ment to Rule 5 would be accepted. If there
is any objection, the proposal will not be
withdrawn. If any member desires to have
separate debate on the various rule changes,
there will be separate debate on the various
rule changes. Therefore, if a member de-
sires to speak more than once, I would sug-
gest that he request separate consideration
of any rules as to which he may desire to
comment. |
