The Washington times., 1915-12-10
OBJECT TO POWERS
OF Mann IN HOUSE
Grumbling Is Heard Among Re-
pubIicans Over Choice OF
Committee Memberships.

A lot of grumblng IL heard on the
Republican side Of the House over the
fact that there seems no limit to the
mower welded hy Jim Mann, the
minority leader. In q way. Mr. Mann
has more power tha many other man
In the House. In the session now on.
he will come much closer to leading the
Republicans of the House than Con-
gresham Eitchin. who has tho title Of
leader. will come to lea ading the DEM
ocrats. Now that Mr.. Underwood has
gone to the Senate, the House Demo-
Gratis. as a matter of fact, viii have
no such leadership as they had In the
last Congress.
Mr.. Mann still possesses the unusual
authority to make UP committee as
sgnments on the Republican >sidc.
This IL the power "Czar'' Cannon used
to have and It was this that led to the
war on Cannonism. SInsularly enough,
however, the House Republicans never
got away from the old way of making
committee assignments. Instead OF
turning the task over to committee.
they have continued to vest the author
ity in a single parsonage, and that per-
sonage Is Mann.
No Board Is Named.
In the recent caucus Of the House Re-
publicans. there was a brief movement
to name a committee on committees.
ana not allow Mann to make the assign
mcnts. But the only member who
showed any militancy for this move
ment was Representative Cooper OF
Wisconsin. The result was that the
Republicans named no committee on
committees. and Mr.. Mann was clothed
with the same power he had previously
welded.
What had happened was that some Of
the old members had quietly taken
measures to check the movement foI
committee on committees In advance
They feared that such committee
might deprive them of good committee
perths. and they preferred to take their
chances with Mann. Even some OF the
Republicans who in their own states
are rated as of the progressive Repuo,
lican type Joined in this sofe- pedal
process. and held down the agitation
for a committee on committees
This was done. moreover. despite the
fact that II the Republicans capture
the next House they will be we'll
nigh forced to have the committees
made up by the Committee on Com
mittees. 1t is. OF course, expected II
the Republicans carry the House,
Mann will be next Speaker. But pub
lic sentiment will probably make 1t
out Of the question for Mann or any
other person chosen Speaker to shape
the majority side OF the committees.
Many Of the House Republicans this
fall would have been better satisfied
IL q beginning had been made In
having committee places filled by n
committee chosen by the. caucus. But
they found tho cards stacked agains.
them.
Skilled Parliamentarian.
Minority Leader Mann is considered
one Of the ablest and most astute men
in Congress, a skilled parliamentarian.
n great student of legislation, and a
tighter. He is ambitious for power. and
sorne OF his colleagues on the Republic
an side charge him with being arbi-
trary. lie will have a more dominating
position In this Congress than in the
last. because the Republicans are al
most az numerous as the Democrats,
and are expected to be better generated.
lie will have to exercise n good dea OF
his authority. Otherwise, Republican
insurgency might develop. and might
not only prevent the Republicans from
united action this session. but might
interfere with Mann's plans to be
Speaker In the next Congress provided
the House is Republican. The House
Republicans just now are feeling their
oats" and IT will require skillful han
ding to keep them satisfied with their
leadership. a job that in the present
House. with the Republicans almost as
numerous as the Democrats. is no sine