Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-06
Mr.. Clarke Speaks Briefly.

| or three of the democratic senators
voted no." and Senator Clarke laughed
F, at them. This was an echo of the
fight made in the democratic caucus
against the reelection of Senator
Clarke as President pro tempore.
When Senator Clarke took the chair
he briefly addressed the Senate, saying
he did not regard the Office to which he
had been elected as a place from which
to punish his enemies or to favor his
friends.
He said that all his life he had valued
the name of being honest and fair. His
election. he said. was particularly
pleasing to him as it had come under
circumstances which made it excep-
tionally agreeable" In this playful
bitter fight which he had won for re-
election.
Senator Walsh of Montana interrupt
ed the proceedings long enough to say
, that he would reserve the right to as
sert on a future day that the old rules
| under which the Senate was working
| today could not be effective until re-
| adopted by the Senate. Senator Walsh
Is one of the democrats most insistent
| upon the adoption of cloture rule for
the Senate.
His statement was regarded as a
threat not only to bring up the ques-
ton of cloture, but also the question
of whether the Senate is a continuing
body.
Vote to Meet at Noon.
A resolution was offered by Senator
Kern providing that the daily hour
of meeting of the Senate be IL o'clock
noon. An amendment offered by SEN
ator Williams of Mississippi provided
that until further notice the Senate
should adjourn not later than 5 o'clock
each afternoon. His amendment was
agreed to and the Kern resolution
adopted.
On motion of Senator Kern. the SEN
ate took recess until 2:30 o'clock this
afternoon.
The Senate organization was COM
pleted peacefully. and the threats Of
stormy opening session, due to an effort
to force cloture on the Senate. were
not carried out 1t had been intimated
last week that this fight might SO de-
lay the organization of the Senate that
the President would be unable to de-
liver his message to congre at the
caucus Saturday night determined to
refer the whole matter Of cloture to the
Senate committee on rules, and this
course was taken today.
Democrats Have 16 Majority.
OF the thirty-two senators who began
new terms of office today, nineteen were
Senate for the first time. and thirteen
were republicans, three Of whom were
new senator's, one of whom. Senator
Curtis of Kansas. served six years ago.
The democrats sworn in were Sena-
tors Beckham. Kentucky; Broussard,
Louisiana; Husting, Wisconsin; john
son. South Dakota; Phelan. California;
Underwood, Alabama, all new senators,
and the following reelected senators:
Chamberlain. Oregon; Clarke. Arkan-
sas: Fletcher. Florida; Gore. Oklahoma
Newlands. Nevada; Overman. North
Carolina; Shively. Indiana; Smith.
South Carolina: Smith, Georgia: Smith,
Maryland; Smith. Arizona: Stone. Mis-
souri,, and Thomas. Colorado.
The three new republican senators
sworn in were Senators Curtis. Kansas:
Harding. Ohio, and Wadsworth, New
York, and the reelected republicans
who began new terms were Sena-
tors Brady. Idaho; Brandegee, Connec-
ticut: Cummins. Iowa: Dillingham;, YER
mont; Gallinger. New Hampshire:
Gronna, North Dakota; Jones, Wash
ington; Penrose, Pennsylvania: Sher-
man. Illinois. and Smoot. Utah. The
terms of all the senator's sworn in to-
day do not expire until March 4, 1921.
The Senate today is composed Of nifty
six democrats and forty republicans,
giving the democrats working major
ity of sixteen.