The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-03-11
Committee Plums In the Senate
Will Fall Well Within Their
Reach In the New
Shake-up
SENIOR SFNAIOR 70 MOVE uP
He Will be Within One Place Of For
eign Relations chairmanship.
Townsend to be Well Cared
For in Allotments.


the liveliest washington interest in
the general shake-up which is to come
in the reorganization of the United
States senate. The retirement of the
old guard means realignment of
practically all of the important COM
mlttees of the senate, and since COM
mittee assignments very largely meas
ure the potentiality of member in the
upper house, the discussion is most
serious and pertinent one.
The committee on committees will
be appointed by whomsoever Is the
Republican senate leader, and this
committee will have. as above indicat-
ed, one of the most important tasks
that has faced senate body in many
years. RfF
1t will have a wider range of op-
portunity to entirely recognize and re-
align the structure of the senate than
so years heretofore.
Just where Michigan's senators will
land in this new deal is a matter of
considerable speculation, although
everything points to place that is
high. dry and handsome for Senator
William Alden Smith.
There has been considerable talk
that Senator Smith would be a mem
ber of the committee on committees it
self. Before he left Washington he
put in considerable work behind the
effort to see that Senator Townsend
secures the recognition which he
largely merits so far as committee
plums go.
Place for Townsend.
Senator Townsend would like a place
on the committee on interstate COM
merce. There will be at least three
vacancies on this all-important COM
mittee. due to the retirement of Sena-
tors Elkins. Aldrich and Kean. Be-
cause of his splendid service in this
line of work In the house, Senator
Townsend stands an excellent oppor-
tunity of at once securing membership
in this pleasant and important berth.
Senate committee chairmanships
come largely as a matter of seniority;
but IL has been indicated here thai
Senator Townsend may land at once
in a good chairmanship due to the
fact that before Senator Smith left h'
indicated his willingness to yield his
position of seniority on the committed
on Pacific railroads to Senator Towns
end. Senator Smith Is the ranking
member OF this committee, as Senator
F'rye-the only one ahead of him In
the line-of course, would not care Il
give up his craftsmanship of the com
mittee on commerce.
It is also hoped, it is said. to ge
Senator Townsend on the COMMITTEES
on Pacific railroads.
Just what Senator Smiths new as
signments will be is matter of con
siderable speculation. He is well III
in the list of several very importan
committees, and as no senator cal
hold more than one important chair
manship, Just what Senator Smith
work will be will depend considerabl!
on the ultimate choice OF committees
of the leaders who may happen t
head him on more than one commit
tee.
! Head Foreign Relations.
For example, i'm the case of the all
important committee on foreign rela
tions but one senator now stands be
tween Senator Smith and the chair
lmanship. Senators Kean. Beveridg
and Carter have all retired; Senate
Clark would not yield the chairman
ship OF the judiciary committee; Sen
ator Frye would not yield the chair
nianship of the commerce committed
and Senator Cullom would not yiel
the chairmanship of the finance com
mittee IL ne were to become senat
leader. This would only leave Senate
Lodge of Massachusetts ranking Sen
, ator Smith on the foreign relation
committee.
Through seniority of service. Sena
tor Smith will move up three place
on the committee on commerce. II
will continue his chairmanship OF tn
committee on Canadian relations. un
. less one of the more important chair
f.Il n tc ~