Evening star., 1911-01-20
PROBLEM HARD ONE
Republicans Guess as to Com
mittee Assignments.
DOUBT AS TO METHODS
Action at Democratic Caucus Starts
Speculation.

How will the republicans of the House
seek to arrange their committee assign
ments. now that the democrats have
overturned the time-honored custom of
selection by the Speaker?
This is the question immediately to
engage the attention Of republicans and
to be decided by caucus, probably at an
early date. The republicans are very
much perturbed over the situation forced
upon them by the policy of the democrats;
assumed at last nights caucus. and real
ize that while they were laughing at the
supposed discontinue Of the enemy they
will have troubles of their own to worry
over pretty soon.
1t is assumed at the outset that the
democratic committee on committees will
assign the republicans to membership on
the committees according to their desires.
but who is to communicate the wishes
of the minority officially? There's the
rub for the moment.
Things Different Now.
In the good old days of the oligarchy
and of the Gears" it was the custom for
the minority leader to ascertain the
wishes Of his colleagues, decide their con-
ficting claims and on presenting his little
list to the Speaker the assignments were
made accordingly. But those halcyon
days are gone, the republicans say, ne'er
to return, and some other expedient to
represent the popular will must now be
seized upon.
The idea of the minority leader assign
ing committee places is unthinkable. Sup
pose Uncle Joe'' Cannon should be elect
ed minority leader! Why, the proposition
is inconceivable to the progressives. OF
course. a progressive minority leader may
be chosen, but in that case what becomes
of the loudly proclaimed progressive de-
mand of last session for a committee on
committees, and Where would the re-
dictionaries get OFF," as one Of them
pnrased it, only to add, I'VE would be
put of"
One suggestion advanced is to have
the republican members of the ways and
means committee, as now constituted,
and supposedly to be reappointed. act
as committee on committees for the
republicans, as long as the democratic
ways and means men are to do the same
for their own side.
But to this proposition the progress
sives" dissent. There are Serene Payne,
John Dalzell and group Of reactionaries
be expected to frame up the minority
assignments to the utter dissatisfaction
Of the progressives.
Special Committee Likely.
What probably will happen will be to
have a caucus Of republicans and vote
for a special committee to designate the
minority membership. 1t is taken for
granted that such course would be
entirely acceptable to the majority. and
that the democratic committee on COM
mittees would make the appointments ac-
cordingly.
1t is pointed out that the work of the
republican committee on committees
ought to be very simple IL it followed the
ruie of seniority. There are no new re-
nuhlican members of the next House to
sneak Of. and all the committee would
have to do would be to place the COM
mitteemen in their present order at the
foot Of the committee lists, and put the
newcomers below them:
Rnt in point of fact the work may not
he so easy. since the progressive republi-
cans are inclined to clamor for recoeni-
ton over the ''standpatters." You have
been beer discredited by the country" they
saw. .snow step aside and let US haYo =
chance at the good assignments"