The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-12-27
Harmony Conference Among
Republicans Is Being Con-
sidered BY Leaders.
sPeAkERsHIP SECONDARY
Indications Are That Mann Is
Eliminated AZ Candidate to
Weld Cavel.


minority leader, as the Republican
candidate for Speaker OF the next
House. and the disclosure that n half
dozen independents will WELD the bal.
ance of power in that body, today
gave a confusing turn to politics at
the Capitol.
A harmony conference among the
may be called soon after the holidays.
The Spcakership fight, however, IL but
Incidental to the plan for a '1iberaiiza-
tlon" of the party in the organization
OF the House IL tho @. o. r. can con
troll Il.
q" Ccntroi II In Doubt.
Revised estimates today give neither
the Democrats nor Republicans con.
troll OF tho lower body in tho Sixty.
NTH Congress. Each party must
appeal to n little group OF outsiders.
and these independents appear TO hold
tho whip hand, Tho revised lineup,
as shown by a countryw wide review of
election results. certificates already
issued. and contests r. as follows:
Republicans, 214: Democrats, 213:
Independents, .: Progrcssives, 2; SO.
ciaiist, 4; Prohibitionist, I: contest.
ed. ..
II requires 21S votes to organize
tho next House, assuming that the
full membership IN present on this I'M
portant occasion. without wooing
some OF the independents, neither side
can muster 2is.
Trading II Predicted.
That a little bit OF trading"-as
one member expressed twill be
done before the next House Is organ
lied IL n safe prediction.
on the face OF things the Demo- |
Gratis appear TO have n shade OF adj
vantage today.
There IN no opposition In Demo-
cratic ranks 10 the reelection OF
Champ Clark as Speaker and the pres
ent presiding officer In on friendly
forms with the independent group.
There In trouble on the Republican
side and compromise candidate must
he found-unless several members
now understood to be opposed 20 Mr..
Mann can be whipped into line un-
der the stress OF party necessity.
VIII Net support Mann.
Congressman Augustus p. Gardner
has announced that he VIII not sup
port Mr.. Mann. because the latter ap-
proved tho Presidents peace note
which moth Mr.. Gardner regards as In
tho interest OF "Prussianism." The
Republicans are not In position TO lose
even one vote In the SpcaiSership con-
st and the attitude OF several OF tho
Progressive Republicans and Inde.
pendents toward the Mann candidacy
10 problematical.
Aside from the speakership night,
however. the Republicans are consid.
ring the politics OF the situation. IL
IL felt that IL the party Ii TO win In
the Senate and House elections two
years hence. or In the general cleo
lion In 1920. there must be a reJuven-
'tion OF the party along liberal lines
ana this work should start In the or.
sanitation OF the House. |,
spssGer.hip Secondary.
The approaching Republican con.
terence will not concern so much the {
wrangle as IL will a lib J
'ralization OF House procedure ana
rules. Should the Republicans regain
control OF the lower body even the {
most standpat members OF tho q. o.
must show a progressive trend.
n compromise progressive candi. .
lste-one that will enlist the support 4
Il tho independents and the regulars q
is not improbable.
Notwithstanding Mr.. Manns long
nd arduous labors as minority leader, O
nd HIS recognized ability, he IL in c
anger Of being shelved AT the party b
difference. The closeness OF the House .
o'e and the comparatively slight de-
cction In Republican ranks endangers
". Manns chances TO such an extent b
hat In some quarters he Is regarded n
a an unsafe" candidate 20 propose N
nsafe being in the sense that he can "
ct enlist all tho Progressive and In
ependent votes that compromise r
andidate might corral. Should Mr..
lam fall down In this respect Speaker d
lark would stand an excellent show of n
lection on the FIRST ballot h
Take Part In Organization.
Members holding certificates of
lection on the opening day OF tho
ext Congress are certain to PARTED. c
ate in the House organization. Even
n eases where there is dispute over
lection results the House Is slow TO
hallenge a duly presented certificate n
tltttioH. NO one cares TO make n | y
hallenge because there might come a N
line when the challenger would be o.
hallenged.
Consequently, an election cS-.ificate
good for the House organization
ote, even II the holder OF that Ger.
Ificate were afterward declared not y
Untitled to his seat.
II is predicted that at least twenty
rats win be contested I'm the House y
fter IL is organized and there are u
ow two contests pending in State
curtis.
Kelly A Possibility.
Kelly OF Pennsylvania is elected on
le Democratic and Progressive tick "
Is, is listed as a possibility by the
omocrats on the organization vote. |
hen he served in the House before
r. Kelly sat with the Republicans,
ut was quite independent In his vot.
IS and a stickler for llberalized W
lies. He originally defeated John a.
alzel'. one of the Cannon leutenants +
III, old days. g
Randall, Prohibitionist, OF Cali
'rnia, Is believed to lean toward the NJ
He voted for Speaker h
lark last time. fe