Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-05-22
MEMBERS OF HOUSE PREPARED
TO SMASH COMBINATION TO
CONTROL COMMITTEES.
INSIDE HISTORY OF
STEEL AND SUGAR DEAL
Five Men Bound to Be in Position to
Mani puIate COMMITTEES, and Majority
In Open RsbsiIion-Lsaders Escape
Defeat by Promise to BE Good in
Future.
Especial Correspondence.

"dSAlA6IOIl, ~Ady @SAS
leaders in the house who attempted to
evade the spirit of the rules providing
for the election Of committees by the
house have discovered that they were
playing with fire. They have likewise
discovered that the majority members
of the house are prepared to smash
any combination formed for the pur-
pose OF dominating committee APP
pointments.
It was learned today that the major
ity leaders have been told in the
plainest kind of language that there
must not be repetition Of the proceed
ure by which the steel and sugar in
vestigating committees were selected.
In each instance a resolution naming
the personnel of the committees was
brought into the house by Representa-
tive Henry, of Texas, chairman Of the
committee on rules. The resolutions
providing the machinery for the in
vestigations expressly provided that
the members of the committee be
elected by the house. Members on both
sides took it for granted that the mat
ter would be submitted 10 d caucus or
each party. Instead of that the major
ity members were ostensibly selected
by Mr.. Henry and the minority mem
bers were in fact selected by Repre-
sentative Mann. the minority leader.
Five Men Dictate.
In the debate in the house. which
developed severe criticism OF Mr..
Henry. that gentleman announced that
he took full responsibility for naming
the members Of the o1nmittees. 1t
develops, however that five democrats
Of the house deliberately met in con-
ference for the purpose OF deciding on
the personnel Of the two investigating
committees, and when the selections
had been made Henry was authorized
to draw his resolution and present 1t
to the house.
The five men who participated IN the
conference were Speaker Clark. Repre-
sentative Underwood, majority leader.
Mr.. Henry, chairman Of the committee
on rules. Mr. Hardwick, Of Georgia,
author Of the sugar investigating reso-
luton and now chairman OF the sugar
investigating committee, and Repre-
sentative Stanley. OF Kentucky. author
Of the steel investigation resolution
and now chairman Of the committee
which Will investigate the United
States steel corporation.
It was not anticipated that the nam
ing OF the two committees in the house
would meet with opposition, and 1t was
expected that the two resolutions
would go thru without difficulty. The
five members reckoned without the
other members on the democratic side
who are determined that committee
m embers shall not be named by a
clique.
Altho claiming entire responsibility
for selecting the majority members OF
the two committees Mr.. Henry made
frequent use Of the pronoun I'VE" In
discussing the manner in which the
committee members were named.
When this was called to his attention
Mr. Henry declared that I'VE" was
used in the editorial sense. 1t now
develops that the I'VE" represented
er Underwood. Stanley and Hardwick.
Promise to Be Good.
These leaders escaped defeat on the
passage Of the sugar resolution only
upon repeated assertions on the part
OF Mr.. Underwood and others that
there would be no repetition Of the
Henry performance. There is now a
definite understanding that when a
resolution especially provides that a
select committee shall be elected by
| the house the selection Of the commit
tee members shall be left to the demo-
cratic caucus
The democratic leaders We're in fact
engaged In subtle attempt to dictate
the membership Of committees without
consultation with the rank and file OF
the party just as Speaker Cannon
made his committee assignments. They
| have discovered that had 1t not been
! for universal desire on the part OF
the democrats to preserve the appear
ance of harmony the investigating
committee membership selected by Mr.
Henry would have been rejected. They
] have likewise discovered that 1t would
be unsafe to repeat the procedure by
which the two investigating commit
| tees were decided upon.