Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-22
EYE ON WHITE HOUSE
Champ Clark Credited With
Presidential Ambition.
AVOIDS ALL SIDE ISSUES
Willing to Forego Privilege of Sc
lecting House Committees.
SATISFIED WITH SPEAKERSHIP
Not Actively Bidding for Support,
But Is Willing for Boom
to Thrive.

Champ Clark's presidential boom is a
serious affair. Politicians here are just
waking up to the fact, and noting. Incl
| dentally, that while the prospective
| Speaker Of the next House may not be
pushing his own campaign actively, he
Is carefully avoiding any move that may
| hinder it. Credit for shrewd political
generalship is now generally bestowed on
| Mr.. Clark for the manner in which ne
lodged responsibility for the appointment
of committees in the new House.
1t was concession to public opinion. to
| begin with. but. in addition. and OF equal
| Importance, it removed Clark from the
danger zone of sectional prejudice. in
jured pride and defeated ambition.
Boys Eager for Plums.
The democracy has long been out Of
power. The boys" are eager for the
plums. There are sixty-two committee
chairmanships in the House. but Of these
not more than a score, at the outside. are
Of Importance. Many democratic repre-
sentatives. therefore. with influence In the
selection Of presidential delegates In their
own states. are bound to be disappointed.
"Uncle Joe" Cannon's opposition in his
party dates back to the day when he pre-
ferred certain republicans to some others
for important committee assignments
Champ Clark has neatly sidestepped this
pitfall by declining the responsibility OF
naming the committees. His voice was
powerful in swinging Thursday night s
caucus in favor of the committee on com
mitteeS' plans.
Already the struggle has begun. The
rules committee will be the first one to
be named by the ways and means COM
mittee. otherwise the committee on COM
mittees. It is powerful body in the
shaping OF the legislative program. The
committee on committees Will tackle the
problem at the meeting called for next
Friday. Henry of Texas is tentatively
suggested as chairman, with Fitzgerald
of New York, Stanley Of Kentucky. Ora
ham of Illinois and Hardwick OF Georgia
following In the order named.
Another Big Committee.
Then there is the committee on appro-
priations. almost as important as ways
and means. Fitzgerald OF New York and
Burleson Of Texas are engaged in bat
tie royal for this position.
Both New York and Texas delegates
will be big factors in the next democratic
national convention, and 1t IL easy to see
what q peck Of trouble Clark would be
in if he were compelled to decide between
the aspirants.
The second problem will figure largely
in this matter also. as it will in many
more of the chairmanships For years
the bulk of the democratic representation
In the House has come from the south.
cratic members Of the big committees
who ordinarily would be advanced to
chairmanships are southern men.
For instance. there are Burleson OF
Texas, Pou of North Carolina, Adamson,
Hardwick and Bartlett. all of Georgia,
claiming. respectively. the chairmanships
of the committees on appropriations. inter
state and foreign commerce. weights and
measures and accounts.
Chock Full Of Dynamite.
When it is considered that Clark is him
self rated as a southern man; that Un-
derwood, chairman Of ways and means.
| is from Alabama, and Henry. slated for
chairmanship OF rules. from Texas. the
sectional problem, II left to Speaker
with presidential aspirations, would be
full Of dynamite.
The newly elected members who came
in on the crest Of the tidal wave from
states which every effort will be made to
hold in line for 1912 must also receive
serious consideration. 1t Is learned that
the New York delegation will back Fitz-
gerald solidly for chairman of the COM
mittee on appropriations
But the Texans will also solidly back
Burleson.
Undistrrbed by Disputes.
| As a Speaker shorn Of power, Clark
will be able to sit back and await with
complacency the issue Of these disputes
| There will be chickering's and bruised
| spirits, but no one will be able to point
an accusing finger at Clark and charge
| him with responsibility.
Wherefore close observers here are Civ.
| ing serious attention to the Clark boom
il l. L. r. az ha.s