The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-20
SPECULATION AS TO BRYAN'S FUTURE
 COURSE OF ACTION
If He Thinks Democratic Party Is in Danger Will Support Wilson, Other wise Not
By HIGH ". ROBERTS

Washington. February 19.-tSpecialD Through all the legislative contortions of the passing week, that episode in which Speaker Clark emphatically denied that he had supplanted Representative Kitch- in as majority leader, shone out in con- trast, ndimmed-resplendent
 As may be recalled, on Friday of last week, The Age-Herald published Wash ington special in which the supposition was advanced that in the conduct of preparedness legislation, the speaker might suppant the North Carolinian as commander of the democratic column. There were two reasons why the supposi- tion was plausible. In the first place, Kitchin could not lead the majority col umn in favor of administration measures which he opposes. And in the second place, the speaker. in personally pushing through the preparedness forerunners a bill equpping naval yards and bill increasing attendance at Annapolis, had previously shown his hand
 Monday of this week the speaker de- nied emphatically that he had supplant- ed the leader And the leader modestly issued the statement that the report was in error-that he could not be supplanted because he had not been appointed but elected
 CLARK OR MANN
 It was decidedly entertaining. It re- nlnded the public Of those humorous classics which fn1mortalized the consid- crate characteristics of Castor and AL phonse Not for the world would the speaker supplant the leaderl Nothing could convince the leader that the speak- CT entertained such an idea!
 And all the while, it was known that the speaker had no intention of yielding his gavel for the baton of the bandmas- ter. There was never thought that the rather inharmonious chorus of the demo- cratic majority would be further com plicated through the injection of yet an- other discordant note. No one antici- pated an open rupture between the speak CT and the leader.
 It was thought probable however. that the speaker, having for one moment guid- ed the rudderless ship of the majority. would continue so to do when the prize at stake was really worth while And inasmuch as it Is certain that Kitchin will oppose-not press for passage-the big navy and the big army programme, it is still regarded as extremely probable that the speaker will again supplant flor the moment the intrepid leader who in that exigency cannot lead.
 And if Clark doesn't, Mann will This much is certain: the republicans do not intend that preparedness shall die.
 THE WILLY PACIFIST
 National politics had big success in securing more than it's proportionate share of the weeks speculation.
 Saturday night finds the republicans di- vided as usual. Root scored in New York and Roosevelt, having gained certain con gressional following among Bay state rep resentatives in Massachusetts
 But the most entrancing topic has been the willy pacifist of Nebraska. What will he do to Wilson? Democrats perceive but two dangerous entities-Hughes and Bryan. Of the two. the latter because be comes in the guise of friend, is deemed the more dangerous
 It has already been pointed out that the Commoner is said to desire the post of temporary chairman of the St. Louis convention, and permanent chairman of the platform committee. He would de- liver the keynote address, stressing the
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