Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-09

| Forthcoming.
In the first place. a new president
pro tempore Of the Senate will be
elected. Senator Clark of Arkansas
| was elected to that Office at the open
| ing of the last Congress, and demo-
cratic senators are not slow in saying
that he has not given satisfaction
Also. 1t was Senator Clark who led the
boiling seven democratic senators
when the administration ship purchase
bill was before the Senate and prob
ably prevented action on that measure.
| If for no other reason, democratic SEN
ators supporting the administration
would prefer not to see Mr.. Clark
chosen president pro tenn of the Sem
ate again.
New Chairman of Caucus.
The second change that is likely to
occur is the election of a new chairman
| of the democratic caucus Of the Senate.
Senator John w. Kern of Indiana held
this Office in the last Congress. He was
chosen as a representative of the So
called progressive wing of the demo-
cratic party in the Senate. But now the
talk is that more active chairman OF
the caucus is desired. At the same time
the democrats do not wish to reflect
in any way upon Senator Kern, who,
by the way. is up for reelection to the
Senate next year. and it is being sug-
thing to elect Senator Kern president
pro tempore. In this way Senator Kern
would retain his prominent position in
the Senate and at the same time an
opening would be made for the selec-
ton of another chairman of the demo-
cratic caucus.
1t is not believed that changes of
this character in the organization of
the Senate are going to be accom-
plished without considerable friction.
For instance. the seven democrats who
bolted with Senator Clark when the
ship bill was before the Senate will
not look upon a reprimand of one of
their number with any degree of sat
isfaction.
Heartburnings in Prospect.
Then the selection of a new chair
man for the democratic caucus is not
going to be brought about without
some heartburnings, it is believed.
While the so-called progressives of the
Senate were in the saddle when the
Senate organized last Congress, it was
not long before 1t became apparent
that the more conservative members of
the body on the democratic side OF the
chamber. were welding the influence,
and if there was legislation of inn
portance to be put through, 1t was
to the older and more conservative
senators that the President had to look
for assistance. Senators Simmons of
North Carolina. chairman of the
finance committee; Martin of Virginia.
chairman of the appropriations COM
| mittee: Stone of Missouri. chairman of
| the foreign relations committee, and
others, took leading parts in legisla-
ton.
| When the question arises who shall
| be the new chairman of the democratic
caucus the question as to whether one
of the conservatives or one of the pro-
gressives shall be given this import
ant office also will arise.
| The Senate committees must be re-
vamped, too While none of the demo-
Gratis of long standing and important
| committee chairmanships has gone out
of the Senate. a number of republicans
who had important committee assign
ments will not be in the next Congress.
among them Root. Burton and Perkins.
| There are number of new incoming
democrats who must be cared for, and
| a general shift in committee assign
ments is to be expected.
Likely to Hold Chairmanships.
| However, the chairmen of the more
important Senate committees, it is be-
| lieved, will remain unchanged. Simmons
will stay at the head of finance, Mar
tin at the head of appropriations,
Stone at the head of foreign rela-
| lions, Owen at the head of banking and
currency, Overman at the head of rules
1
tee craftsmanship by Senator Overman
is causing some of the democrats who
favor cloture rule in the Senate some
concern, for Senator Overman is avow-
eddy an opponent of cloture, and he has
the backing of a number of other in
fiuential democrats from the south.
| Senator owen Of Oklahoma is chair
man of committee of democrats ap
pointed by the democratic caucus last
lsesSion to consider change in the
iyI1I of hp ha
purpose Of adopting cloture in some
form. 1t was learned today that he ex-
lpects to get his committee together
lsome time before Congress meets and
take up the cloture matter seriously, so
THAT when the Senate convenes the ad-
lvocates of cloture will be ready to go
fright ahead with their fight for a clo-
lture rule.
This cloture fight is going to split up
the democrats. it is believed, for a
number of them will stand against
cloture. The hope of the proponents of
cloture lies in having amended rules
for the Senate adopted before the Sen
late is formally organized. The advo-
Gates of cloture will hold that before
the Senate is organized it has no rules
and that, therefore, under the general
the previous question may be made and
carried by a majority of the Senate,
shutting off debate.
} On the other hand, opponents of clo-
ture are very 1nSlSlent Indt the senate
is a continuing body. that it never dies
and that therefore it's rules never die
and do not have to be readopted at the
opening of each new Congress. AT the
opening of the last Congress this ques-
ton was not raised, and the old rules
of the Senate were tacitly understood
to be in operation.
Fight at Senate's Opening.
The big fight for cloture. therefore,
will come right at this juncture when
the Senate meets in December. If a
ma jority of the Senate is ready to hold
that the old rules have to be readopted
before they are the rules of the Senate
during the Sixty-fourth Congress. clo-
ture probably will be forced through.
But IL the majority holds that the Sem
| ate is continuing body and it's rules
hold over. there is little or no chance
for clOture. for once the rules permit