Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-03
DEMOCRATS AGAIN
ORGANIZE HOUSE
Clark Reelected Speaker by
Vote of 217 to EOS
Over Mann.
FOUR INDEPENDENTS FOR HIM
Miss Jeanette Rankin. First
Woman Member, Given Three
Separate Ovations.
FOUR INDEPENDENTS FOR HIM

WASHINGTON. April Tile Demo
Gratis. with the aid OF four Of the five
independents, organized the House
when the nov Congress assembled to-
day. rc-clc"ting Speaker champ Clark.
OF Missouri. and sweeping into Office
with him all the other Democratic eau
Gus nominees.
Mr.. Clark received 2l7 votes. against
2o5 for Representative Mann The, R.
publican choice for Speaker. who. not
only failed to receive an indcpcndcnt
vote. but lost the suppor, of i've OF his
party colleagues. All the Democrats
present voted for Mr.. Clark and were
Joined by I;cpI sentative Schail Pro-
EressiVc. Minnesota. Martin. Progress
sirc protectionist. Louisiana: London.
Socialist. New York. and Randall. FRO
hibitionist. California The five Re-
publicans who did not supror, Mr. Mann
we're Representatives Gardner Massn-
chuSctts. who voted for Representa-
tive Lcnroot. of Wisconsin: CRAY. New
Jersey. and Dal!in-er. Massachusetts
who voted for Representative Gillett.
Of Massa chusetts. and Haskell of New
York. and James. of Michigan. who
voted present" Representative Full
Ter, independent. Massa achusetts voted
for Representative Lenroot
REPRESENTATIVE SCUALL
NOMINATES CLARK
T" the surprise Of tho Republicans
Representative Schall placed Mr.. Clark
in nomination. For time ii was
thought that lie had done so bv in
advertencc, but later 1t developed he
had acted through prearrangcmcnt
with Democratic leaders lie asked pcr
mission to address tho House Just after
the hrst roll call. and then after de-
ciarin= that the international sit,ia-
ton demanded unanimous support OF
President Wilson, aroused tremendous
cheering by announcing that although
with his sghtleSs eyes he could hc OF
no use on the battle field. he could at
least support the Presiden, by casting
vote for Champ Clark.
Representative Green of Massncbu
sctts. presented Mr.. Mann's name in =
brief speech, and Representative Len
root OF Wisconsin. the progressive
Republican leader. Seconded il, There
we're no other nominal ions and i'm lust
an hour and forty minutes after th..
House was convened Mr.. Clark as he
had predicted TO the minute several
days ago. was declared elected anL
was escorted TO the chair by :, com
mittee headed by Mr.. Mann. In a
brief address. the Speaker pleaded for
united action in the present crisis.
Calling of the roll was rcplctc with
the outbursts of applause. but the lions
share went TO Miss Jcanncttc Rankin,
Of Montana. Republican,. and the first
woman TO be elected TO the House She
Was given three separate ovations. once
when she entered the chamber on the
I'm OF her colleague. Representative
i.vanS. of Montana: again when she
responded TO the call of mem bcrS. and
a third time when She voted for Mr.
Mann. She was forced once TO rise and
bow before the applause could be
checked. She was the floor The
greater part OF the day. dressed plainly
in dark dress with white collar
and carrying a bunch of flowers.
Selection of the minor officers Of the
House was delayed by the Republicans.
who. hoping to obtain one or two
places. demanded separate roll calls on
each office. Democrats were elected
to all Of the four contested Offices.
however. and the House then pro-
ccedcd TO adopt its rules and organize
committees.
An effort by Representative Mann TO
prevent adoption OF the rules which
governed the last Congress was fu-
tile.