The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-11-12
Wrangle Over Rules IneWt-
able Unless Alliance for
Revision Is Formed.
HARD PROBLEMS
TAX CHAMP CLARK
Missourian and Other Leaders Will
Have Some Trying Times at
the Short Session.

Republicans. effect a revision OF the
rules during che short session OF The
Congress wEich viii meet next month.
ChauD Clark and the other Democratic
leaders viii have a few monumental
problems 70 solve At the outset OF the
first session Of the Sixty-second Con
gress
These problems, involving the organi-
cation Of the House viii have 10 be dis
posed OF before the majority party can
think OF formulating a legislative pro
gram or setting In motion the ma
chinery which WIN turn out Of the com
lHittees the expected grist OF leEisia-
zion
Insurgents To Act.
Much depends, Of course. on what
transpires next month. II IS now re-
garded as possible tIIat the insurgent
Republicans viii take the bit in their
teeth and again endeavor 10 have q
Republican House during the short see-
sion. deprive The Speaker OF his power
and 70 create q committee on commit
tees should such q plan fsu, then FL
VIII De I'D 20 the Democrats 70 work
Out HE reforms ia the House which b.
: now believed are Inevitable Whether
pr-----lleo 10 appoint the committees. or
Trey are appointed bv q COMMITTEE on
co-i--,--tteeS, t1cLOn2l QUaIreIs and yez-
alous delays are certain 70 follow.
mere are many Democratic membe-s
OF the House who. 1y reason OF T0r...
81 -Vlces are ranking members on tT-
Rouse committees A continuation Of
t-e p0LcT ADOPTED by Speaker Cannon
would e--l-le these Democrats 10 chair
r-5 lsLlps, WLeu The Democrats raI--
Ha
q l0reE0-e conclusion that these vere--
ans WlI vastly prefer the Cannon sys-
teIl o. seniority TO any reform thar
il-sny be proposed.
A Case In Point
The present personnel OF The Hous=
Committee on Appropriations IS a cas-
IA point Representative John J. Ffrz-
gerald Of Brooklyn g the rauLzing. Demo
cratic member or this committed and Il
champ Clark a. Democratic Speaker.
a ere cLlllel 10 follow the Cannon plan
u committee appointments FltzeeralI
EOCld be the logical man 10 succeed
James A. Tawney, the present chair
man
IL IS around this particular commlrtea
cls- aESllp. too tEar much of the
asGCrS on che rules Of the next HOUSE
WIZ center. II Champ Clark. as q can
ll1are for Speaker. VIII sive Fitzgerald
assurance that lie viii stand for q con
.inUatiOn OF the present system Of arr
pointing committees FITZGERALD is Ger
tain 10 rally 70 the support Of Clark
a cOnS-cera1 bic number OF Democrats
Who have always rallied under his ban
Fitzgerald wants the ArnroDriations
Committee chairmanship, and he IS 90
ing TO hgLr fC- It. II he can have CLARK
on ms side then he viii throw his. SUI
3lft 10 c-ark Tor The Spearkership- II
on the other hand Clark IS induced 70
pledge tllDSelf 70 the Southern Demo
Gratis VINO are determined 70 have a
committee on committees, then FItz-
gerald can be counted upon 10 fight
against the election OF Clark as Speaker
The last time E'itZgerald set out 10
defeat his leader be mus cred twenty
Two votes. and It was because Of this
Spit IN the Demoeratic ranks that the
proposition 70 elect committee on
committees was defeated al the begin
ming OF the regular session OF the Sixty
first Congress
4 Similar Situation.
The situation TO be found IN the Ap-
Committee is not unlike
that which exists in several other con-
mirteeS OF the House In the House
Committee on Interstate and FOREIGN
Commerce. Representative Adamsdn o.
Georgia is the ranking member II Is
generally accepted Is a fact that Nj.
AdamsOu VIII not consent TO any propo-
SiriOn looking 10 the reform OF the rules
which VIII interfere wiki the seniority
system Dy which he would inherit the
OF this great committee .
from Representative Mann. And so on
down the hsc OF important committees.
The ranking Democratic members at the
present time want 10 walk into -he
cnalrTnanShtpS one year hence
one year ago Champ Clark COM
CiCted himself 10 the idea Of G com
nittee on COMMITTEES he introduced a
resolution calling for the appointment Of
such committee, and would have won
out had il not been for Fitzgerald Since
that time, 10 Is asserted, Clark has
changed MS mind about the matter
With The Speakerslip almost within his
grasp e IS believed tnat ne would
vastly prefer 30 retain the power o.
appointment That he VIII be given this
power is now regarded as extremely
doubtful
The desirabuity Of dispOsing Of the
committee problem at the earliest pos
sibie moment Is apparent TO Democrats
who are determined to explode the
theory that the SiXty-Second Congress
Is 10 be q CO-u1thiUg Congress II Is
because Of this desire that many OF
them would welcome an early dispO-
sitiOn Of the rules matter during the
coming short session should TINS De
done, then the Democrats, upon coming
INTO control, in 19J, would merely 90
through the Formally Of adopting the
rules of the previous Congress q per
Torrance that would occ- py less than
an hours time
Clouds Gathering.
Il it is not done, then the Democrats
VIII face-Ou the very day they take
possession Of the house. row Of quite
the same proportions as that which
split the Republicans into factions dur
ing this Congress.
il IS not believed that the Senate
scheme of having a COmmirte on COM
mittees would prove Of much value in
he organization Of the next House A.
though there is a Committee on Com
mlttees in name in the supper branch OF
Congress, c0mmitte appointments there
are dominated by q few men, instead OF
being absolutely controlled by one man.
rs in the House tt is 10 make committee
appointments representative OF the will
u the entire House membership that
the progressive Democrats desire 10
bring about
II they are compelled TO POSTPONE this
matter until the Democratic House act
1aliy convenes, then faCtiOnaI fights
may be expected. with resulting DELAY
and serious danger 70 the formation
Of definite legislative program. This
situation Is recognized on al sides, and
j. IS 20 avoid such q cont ngencv that
an effort is already being rrede to lave
nSurgeDL Republicans and insI1rgeut
E-mOcrats enter into an agreement LOOK
NJ 20 prompt revision Of the rules
as soon as practicable after the assem-
1Ang OF Congress, next month.