The sun., 1916-01-23
DINNER OF G. 0.P.
PROGRESSIYES OFF
AT THE LAST HOUR
Men in Movement Against
Radical President Shy at
Publicity.
ORGANIZATIONS LIFE
NOT LONG. IT Is SAID

wAsHiNuToN. Jan 22.--Eleven pro-
gressive Republican Senators and twice
as many Representatives in the House
Of the same political color, who have met
on a few occasions informally and who
held ono formal dinner recently to plan
for a legislative programme. organize
90 prevent the nomination OF so-caiied
reactionary at Chicago and 20 commit
their party to progressive platform. de-
cided to-day TO call off dinner sched-
uIed for the Capitol Park Hotel to-
night.
A battalion Of newspaper reporters
that had been drilling all afternoon with
pencils and cameras on the plaza IN
front of the Union station, which bounds
the hotel on the east side. thcreupon dis
persed
several of our members are SICK ana
asked that the dinner bc called on eN-
planned one of the progressVes.
But II became known later that some
Of the men in the new movement nave
grown n little nervous under the pup
Icity that has been given TO the anair.
--
innate that their names were used with
out authority and still others expressed
the fear that the movement might ne
misunderstood and possibly construed as
an insurrectionary affair WITHIN the l'e-
publican party.
La Toilette Is Out.
Senator La Toilette entered a dis
ciaimer yesterday and in trying TO soiVe
the mystery to-day ~ 10 the name Oh
the man who had pledged Senator Ia
Toilette to an agreement with senator
Cummins at the last dinner, ny which
each was not to oppose the other in any
Of the primary States. the fact was as
closed that three Representatives IN mo
House from Wisconsin were present at
the last dinner-Messrs. Browne, Lem
root and Nelson.
Al, Of them are La Toilette men.
Representative Lenroot said he had no
authority to pledge Mr.. La Toilette
The others could not be seen. senator
La Toilette was MT AZ the last dinner
but he was listed for the affair Tonight.
Just when there Will be another con-
ference or dinner was not disclosed To-
day Every reference to the affair
seemed to make the participants nervous.
Senator Smoot entered the Senate
restaurant to-day. where Senator Cum
names have been identified with the new
political movement We're dining at
table, and humbly asked II he might be
allowed to attend the next National
Republican Convention.
The progressives whose names have
been linked with the new movement were
subject to "a lot of other good natured
6Adgcring to-day by the 's,andpatters.'
This was particularly so after word went
out that the dinner had been called of.
why are you fellows 50 iigety about
little publicity Of your plan?' re-
marked "A standpatter to one of the men
In the new movement.
why Change Tactics.
"You have been demanding for years
that the secret caucus be abolished , that
committee rooms be thrown open to the
public that the han be lifted from the
executive sessions and the light be
turned on at every gathering In which
the interests of the people are involved
Now IL seems you fellows have been
planning programme of legislation. a
platform for the Republican party and
to control the next Republican nomind'
tiorl. all of vital interest To the people
and when the newspapers give you d
little publicity after You have been busy
for several weeks you get nervous and
disperse in disorder
Senator Borah explained to-day thai
he was not in sympathy with any at
toppt to conceal the purpose Of tie con
ference or to shun the fullest publicity
lie said that at the recent dinner ther,
WAS general understanding that Scna
tor Norris of Nebraska was to give ou
the details to the press and that N,
fully expected, and he supposed In,
others did, that the newspapers woulC
have the facts.
Senator Norris gNplyiupl later that n,
had not happened to meet any news
paper men after the dinner and that thi.
wa, the reason why il had not beer
given out.
II is now certain that il will he diff