The Washington times., 1913-09-08
UNDERWOOD MAY
LEAD AS SENATOR
If AIabaman Is Elected, 1t Is
Likely He Will Rise in Up
per House.

If Congressman Oscar Underwood of
Alabama, chairman Of the Ways and
Means Committee and Democratic
leader Of the House, becomes a candi-
date for Senator in Alabama and is
elected. there are those who freely
predict it will not be a great while
before he becomes the leader of the
Senate.
Stranger things might be than that
Mr.. Underwood has just this in mind
in contemplating entering the racs
for the Senatorship.
AS leader of the House Democrats,
Mr.. Underwood has been successful.
at least in q preliminary sense. He
has been enabled to keep the Demo-
cratic forces fairly well together. He
has as a rule been able to force
through his programs and this in
spite of the growing spirit Of In
surgency among the Democrats In
Congress-. He has attained great
House and the Democratic members
who condemn him as being conserva-
tive and too friendly to the reaction
aries are on good terms with him per-
sonally with few exceptions
Believes In Party Rule.
Mr.. Underwood believes somebody
must carry the banner and that, just
as in an army, 20 there must be a
captain in a legislative body. He Is
not Of the insurgent school Of thought.
He believes in the rule Of party and In
the rule of caucus. The notion Of nom
partisan consideration Of legislation
does not appeal to him. Throughout his
leadership In the House. he has con-
trolled situations as a rule by control
ling a majority Of the caucus. binding
the Democratic side of the House in
caucus to a course of action. and thus
has prevailed over the independents and
insurgents.
Mr. Underwood, as well as the leaders
about him in the House, are well known
to feel that the Senate Democrats are are
If there, were In the Senate more IRON
clad way Of doing things, with strong
leader at the head, the Democrats
would make more headway.
It may be expected that Mr.. Under
wood, ii he goes to the Senate with
the prestige Of his long House career,
and especially his career as leader. will
not sit idly by for long and fall to take
hand in the game. He may be ex-
pected to move tactfully and not give
make Of himself real Senate factor.
0lIu2S1Vu ~ x&NOI2UICs
The Democratic situation in the Senate
just now Is a peculiarly favorable one
for the advent Of Mr.. Underwood. He
Is q conservative, admittedly so. The
majority Of the Senate Democrats are
some of them wholly re-
dictionary. The Senate Democrats lack
a leader In the sense Underwood leads
in the House. Nobody has yet arisen
among the Senate Democrats who in a
crisis can DO much more than control
his own vote. Senator Kern is nominal
leader and in capable Senator. but he
exercises no domination. In the Senate
nowadays. more than mas been the case
for mary years. everything Is done by
The Senate Is controlled by 4
that Is. by majority Of the
Democratic caucus-but there is little
individual leadership.
Under the circumstances II IL hardly |
tn be wondered that Mr.. Underwood |
tirds there Is glamour about entrance
into the Senate. He has risen to the |
highest honor possible in the House. |
The speakership would not add to his |
power. but subtract from it, 1t il true |
nc has not avowed his intention of run !
ming for the Senate, but he IL known |,
TO be pondering on II, and many of his |
friends think he will run.
By No Means Certain.
However. 1t by no means follows that
/ man who goes to the Senate from the
House or elsewhere with great prestige !!
s going to rise to a dominating position
n the upper house. Many a Senator has
been disappointed In this.
The Senate is q peculiar body and,
much as 1t 10 criticised. 1t contains u
number Of men of great capacity. The
{HA~ 49,
,e will not have to compete with real
,rains Is in error. And there Is a dis
position In the Senate to pay little at
ention to what a man has achieved
elsewhere and make him show his high
as Senator before he Is
l6vanced.
One OF the men who was a leading
House figure for years Is John Sharp
Williams He was Democratic leader In I,
he House. He Is a man of marked abil-