The Washington herald., 1916-02-20
LENRO0T IS DEFIANT
Progressive Head Threatens
Fight on "Standpatters" if
Woods Is Deposed.
MAY COMPROMISE QUARREL
Friends Of RooseYelt's Son-in-Law
Have Votes to Put Their
Man in Charge.
BY JOSEPH p. AMIN.

BY JOSEPH P. AMIN.
Party leaders IN Senate and House are
striving desperately to avert an open
spit Of dangerous proportions in the
Republican Congressional Committee and
the party over the proposal to displace
Representative Frank P. Woods, Of Iowa,
as chairman OF the committee in favor
OF Representative Nicholas Longworth
OF Ohio.
LOnEwOrth Is Willing.
Representative Lenroot, OF Wisconsin,
generally regarded as the leader Of pro-
sressive Republicans in the House,
threatens to take the fight to the public
and declare war on the "standpatters"
in the party unless Woods is reelected.
Representative William B. Mckinley,
o. illinois, former chairman of the COM
mittce. and recognized as the most po-
tent roragcr for the war chest" the
committee has, will resign from the
Craftsmanship Of the finance committee
and from the congressional committee
itself il Woods is reelected.
Representatives LongwCrth, who has
been advanced as a compromise candi-
date. the sOn-in-law of the Progressive
party, and one who could gather in the
golden sineWs Of war. has not announced
mis- candidacy. but will take the chair
manship If rendered by a safe majority
Representative Woods has pledged to
his candidacy a number of votes in the
committee Whether he would hold these
members to their pledges at the cost Of
an open rupture has not been tested.
Compromise Possible.
As the row sized up last night. the reg
uIers and hackers OF Longworth had the
votes to put him over" but were I'M
willing to force a show down" until
more certainly apprised of the strength
of the Woods Lenroot cause is the party.
In other words. il Mr. Lenroot is able
to line up behind him all the Progressive
Republican strength he claims. making
the displacement of Woods. Progressive.
a vehicle for the reopening OF the old fac
tional fight. a further compromise may
result II. on the other hand. as Mr.
I.OngwOrth's friends claim is the case
Mr. LenrOot is leading a One-man fight
and without the ability to create a fac
tiOnal ALIGNMENT on the strength OF it,
the steamrolIer will be placed in commits
sion and Mr.. Longworth's election staged
within the next few days.
Mann Strives for Peace.
James R. Mann. minority leader of the
House. is striving to harmonic the va
rious elements Rather than have a fac
tiOnal row placed before the country. Mr..
Mann will throw his strength to the Len
rOot-Woods' side.
Those who oppose tho re election Of
Woods insist that his factionaI affiliations
do not enter into the equation They de-
clare that what the committee needs at
its head is one who can raise funds that
the committees strength and the chances
of Republican house depend upon the
size of the campaign fund raised by the
committee. They declare that the last
campaign demonstrated that Mr.. Woods
is not a good f0rager in this respect
Mr.. Mckinley. on the other hand, was
the best man the committee ever had
at its head. Mckinley, however sensing
trouble. refused to accept the clear ma
jority which he could have commanded,
and urged that another man. but with
the same qualification, be determined
upon. Mr.. Longworth was put forward
and is supported by Mckinley and his
friends.
Threatens Open Fight.
But Lenroot declares that the plan re-
wolves principally upon the desire to I'm
seat the progressive chairman, and
threatens to fight it out openly along
these lines.
Both sides have been working indus
triously among their friends in the
House, but have met with little en-
coursgement. Aside from the desire OF
most Republican members to avoid en-.
tanglement in a row of the nature which
put in a Democratic administration three
years ago. most Republicans are not
particularly interested. For this reason
IL has been more difficult for the leader:
to size up the situation outside of the
committee. However. it is expected g
decision will be made within the mex
forty-eight hours, and the Indications art
that his friends will elect Longwortt
Augusta specinl-Thr Convenient Wa,
to reach Columbia, Aiken, Augusta. LN
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