The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-13
NEW HOUSE LEADER
SNUBS BURIES0N
kitchin Refuses To Talk To
Postmaster General On
Ship Bill.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13.-Wearing
Q glad smile and carrying the old
fashioned umbrella which IS his con.
slant companion Postmaster General
BuriesonS started for the capitol.
He had heard that Representative
Kttchint ofsNorth Carolina. who will be
the new Democratic leader of the
House, was opposed to itS admins.
tration ship bill. AS the man who is
supposed to S".fx" things for the ad.
mtnistration Mr.. Burleson thought he
would take Mr.. Kitchin in hand and
point out. the; error of running counter
to the wishes OF. President Wilson and
lhisiadvisers.
Withsthis thought in mind the Post.
master General reached the capitol.
Seating himself on a big leather chair
In the lobby outside the House cham.
Der Mr.. Burleaon beckoned to q page.
HettoldIthe page to inform Mr.. Kitchin
that the Postmaster General waited
without and would have speech with
him.
Thespages returned with the tidings
sha1 AlLSuGn tphIu Hpt ut lUuuu.
This intelligence caused the Postmas.
ter Generaltto gasp. as from his point
OF vantage he had seen the page DIP.
proach MI. aKttchin, whisper to the
North Carolinian and observed Mr..
KitchinI give a sign Of impatience. Mr..
Rnrleson called another page. but
without result.
Four Pages Fall.
AFthird and finally a fourth page
went I'm after Mr.. Kitchin, and then 1t
wasIthattthe Postmaster General came
gtoltheS conclusion that the emissary of
the administration had been spurned,
likewise ignored.
Mr.. Burleson is a determined man
and he appealed to a high priced off.
Ger OF the House to aid him. He ex.
planned the circumstances and this OF.
fetal hurried to Mr.. Kitchin, urged
htmltolrelent for the good of the party
and to hold converse with the Post.
master General. Mr.. Kitchin I'D.
journed to his office near by. The
House Official returned to Mr.. Burle.
son and held a whispered converse.
ton. "a few minutes later a negro
messenger approached and said:
"Mr. Postmaster General, Mr.. Kitch.
In will see you In his office.
The Postmaster General arose and
was led to MI. Kitchin's office by the
negro messenger and the House off.
cial. Only MI. Burleson and Mr..
Kitchiniknow precisely what happened
behtnd4the closed doors of Mr.. Kitch.
ms office, but it is reported that Mr..
KitchtnE toldfMr. Burleson that he was
the keeper of his own conscience and
did not need any advice in forming a
judgment on the ship bill or any other
measure.
"A half hour later the Postmaster
General emerged and departed for his
officesdown. town. The glad smile was
no longer In evidence, but the Post.
master General still had hold of his
umbrella
Aroused by the Visits.
Leaders regardless Of party affilia-
tons have become FESTIVE of late over
the repeated visits to Congress by
members of the Wilson Cabinet. The
Postmaster General has made It a
practice since the beginning Of the
administration to call at the capitol
whenever an administration bill was
In trouble.
As the dispenser OF about the only
patronage in which members of the
House share the calls of the Postmas.
ter General have been resented by
some Democratic leaders, They felt
@ delicacy in making public comment
aboutssit but there has been ugly COS.
5stptinsthei cloak rooms after such visit.
ttations.
Mr.. Kitchin had already outlined
bis position on the ship bill to Presi.
dent Wilson, aud his. friends say that
heEresented the appearance or burle.
son.
Administration leaders are begin.
ming to take alarm over Mr.. Kitchin,
who has been chosen as the House
leader in succession to Mr. Underwood
In the new Congress. Mr.. Kitchin
shows qualities Of independence that
administration leaders fear may u
trouble. He is an outspoken oppo.
tnentsofsthe ship bill and has said pub
lysthatitf the measure comes up in
the next Congress he will fight It from
the start.
Administration followers want to
know how In Sam Hill the President
Will able to. force through a legis.
lative program In, the Sixty.fourth
Congress - Nj. Kitchin refuses to do
what Mr. .S!gUnderwood did-yield his
individual views on many subjects.
Il