Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-13
"OLD GUARD LOOKS
FOR GOOD BERTHS ON
HOUSE COMMITTEES
Representative Casey Has Ways
and Means, and Liebel, De-
walt and Steele Confidently
Expect Appointments
SEE ECLIPSE OF PALMER
Four of Pennsylvania Six Demo-
cratic Congressman Hostile to
National Committeeman

WARRINGTON, Sept i3.--As the time
for.congress to convene approaches, much
talk Is being heard on the question, How
viii Pennsylvania six Democrats be
treated in the matter OF committee as
signments7 Under the system now in
vogue, It Is expected that the House, in
electlng members to committees will be
guided to a very large extent by the
Recommendation OF the Ways and Means
Committee. the membership of which was
decided by caucus action early last
spring. John J. Casey, Of Wilkes Barre,
is the Pennsylvania member Of the Ways
and Means Committee. and II Is taken for
granted here that he viii have the say in
placing the other Ave Pennsylvania
Democrats on House committees. 1t is
thought here by those who are best in
formed that M. Liebel. Jr., of the Erie
Crawford district; Arthur G. Dewalt. of
the Berks-Lehigh district, and Henry j.
Steele. president Of the Pennsylvania
State Bar Association, who succeeded
A. Mitchell Palmer in the Pike-Monroe-
Carbon northampton district will have
their choice of committees. These three
men,, like Mr.. Casey, are credited to the
ship of Representative Biebel, they led
the fight to place Representative Casey
on the WAYS and Means Committee, when
he was opposed for this place by Repre-
sentative Palmer, who. with the co-opera-
tion OF Warren Worth Bailey, OF the
Cambria Blair Bedford district backed
John V. Lesher of the Columbia-Mon-
tour northumberland district.
II Is generally believed here that Mr..
Palmer in his role as Democratic ma
tional committeeman, will have to de-
pend on Messrs. Lesher and Bailey. IL
Is declared that these two can expect no
support whatever from their four Old
Guard colleagues unless they agree 10
"go along" and II they do this they
must desert Palmer. Should this happen,
Pennsylvania Democracy would find it
self with n national committeeman who
cannot control single vote in the States
congressional delegation. Mr.. Palmer
never resigned his position as national
committeeman despite the fact that he
was named for the Federal Court of
Claims. which appointment he declined;
so he still remains the titular Democratic
leader
II is said here that Representative
Casey has asked Messrs. Liebel, Dewalt
and Steele what committees they wish,
but that no similar request had been
made to Messrs. Bailey and Lesher.
Representative Liebel, it is said, is un-
Post Roads and Post Offices Committees
Representative Fitzgerald, the Tammany
leader, is said to be anxious to have Mr..
Liebel on the Appropriations Committee,
OF which he is chairman. Next to the
Ways and Means Committee this is con-
sidered the most important of all House
committees. Mr.. Liebel. 4 is reported
here, may take membership on this COM
mittee, although he would like also to
be on the Post Roads and Post Offices
Committee. Some of his friends, it is
said here, are urging him TO take MEM
bership on the Foreign Affairs Com
mittee. There is vacancy In this
committee through the retirement of Rob
ert Il. Difenderfer, of the Bucks Mont
gomery district, who has been succeeded
by II. w. Watson, of Langhorne, a Re-
publican.
II is known here that Mr. Dewalt, the
last Old Guard State chairman, had a per-
sonal desire, as most lawyers do. to go on
the Judiciary Committee. but has given
up thiS ambition because he thinks Mr..
Steele should have this place. The lat
ter Is president OF the Pennsylvania
State Bar Association. and. 1t is under
stood. is desirous of searving on the
judiciary Committee. II is expected here
that Mr.. Dewalt will get a committee
chairmanship. and II may be that of the
Committee on Mileage. of which Mr..
Bailey is the head at the present time.
II Mr.. Liebel goes on the Appropriations
Committee, II is believed here that Mr..
Dewalt will be put on the Committee on
Post Roads and Postoffices. II the Berks-
Lehigh representative does not get the
mileage craftsmanship. which, through
an understanding still to be reached, may
again be given Mr. Bailey, II is probable
that he will be given the chairmanship
Of the Committee on Expenditures in the
Department of Commerce. which was
held by John H. Rothermel whom he
succeeded.