479 



In reply to certain questions, tlie Secretary explained the following 

 English parliamentary expressions : 



'To table' or 'to lay on the table' any motion means that 

 final action is postponed upon the matter in question. Matters that are 

 'tabled' may be 'taken from the table for further consideration and 

 for final action. 



The expression 'suspend the Règles' in the Supplemental Report is 

 used in its accepted parliamentary sense. Parliamentary procediires are 

 carried out under recognized or special 'Parliamentary Rules' and under 

 provisions contained in 'Constitutions' and 'By-Laws'. Upon an un- 

 animous vote, 'By-Laws' may be temporarily 'suspended', that is to 

 say, they may be set aside and the body takes action on the matter under 

 consideration unrestricted by the provisions of the By-Laws; and such 

 action, if taken under a "Special Rule' framed for the case at hand or 

 without reference to any rules, except the 'Constitution' and recognized 

 'Parliamentary Rules', has all the validity of an action taken under the 

 'By-Laws'. 



Thus, if the Congress confers upon the Commission the plenary power 

 to suspend the Règles in any given case, it practically says to the Commis- 

 sion: 'If you carry out the precautions provided for in the Supplemental 

 Report, you may decide any given case arbitrarily without reference to the 

 Règles or you may make a 'Special Rule' to govern that particular case, 

 and this Congress will accept your decision as being just as authoritative 

 as if you had made your ruling strictly in accord with the 'Code'. A plan 

 of this kind is thoroughly in accord with recognized parliamentary customs 

 and it has the great advantage of saving the necessity of introducing 'Ex- 

 ceptions' ^ to the Rules'. 



In reply to a question , the Secretary stated that a number of Special 

 Committees had been formed, consisting of specialists in various groups, 

 and that the general policy had been adopted to confer with these committees 

 upon questions and cases affecting their particular groups. Despite the ex- 

 perience that this method added greatly to the routine of the Secretary's 

 office, he felt the policy should be not only continued, but also extended, and 

 he was willing to accept, without confirmation by the Section, any special 

 committees chosen by any general committees appointed for that purjjose. 



In conclusion, the Secretary invited attention to the fact that during 



3 To make this point as to the difierence between "Exceptions" and "Suspen- 

 sion" of rules clearer to some of the non-English-speaking members, the Secretary 

 later used this comparison upon adjournment of the meeting: 



"It would be dangerous to make a law read: 



'Theft shall be punished by imprisonment for one to ten years, except in 

 such cases where the thief has tuberculosis'. But justice is tempered with mercy if 

 one law reads : 



'Theft shall be punished by imi)risonment for one to ten years', and if another 

 law reads : 



'The President (or The Kingj is empowered to suspend punishment in certain 

 cases in which, in his judgement, a feeling of humanity demands such a suspension.' 

 Suppose, now, it is shown that a thief, wlio is sentenced to ten years imprisonment, 

 is about to die of tuberculosis; even if the sentence is passed upon him, The Presi- 

 dent for The King) could parole or pardon the man in order to permit him to go 

 home to die." 



