Omaha daily bee., 1917-03-27
.BIP ARTISAN nlN
BOTH
PARIS IN HOUSE
Republican Leader Mann's Pro.
posal Meets With Little Fa-
vor on Either Side of
Popular Chamber.
DENIS WILL FORCE FIGHT
G.. o. P. Conference Will Be
Held Short Time Earlier
Than Originally Fixed.
LENRooT EXPRESSES VIEW

Washington, March 26.-When Re.
publican Leader Mann, upon his re-
turn today from a vacation trip to
Haiti, announced his willingness to
Withdraw from the speakership race
in favor of Speaker Clark, provided
democrats and republicans could agree
to bipartisan or nonpartisan organiza.
ton of the new house, he drew pro-
tests aginst such a program from
members of both parties. A similar
plan had been discussed informally
before Mr.. Mann left Washington,
but it was generally believed, until his
announcement today, that it had been
eliminated from serious consideration.
Representative Lenroot of Wiscon-
sin, acknowledged leader Of the pro-
gressive republicans in the house, and
mentioned as candidate for speaker
aginst Mr.. Mann, promptly declared
he unqualifedly opposed the sugges-
ton.
Won't Agree to Plan.
Democrats, including Speaker Clark,
Floor Leader Kitchin and Represen-
tatiyes Flood and Glass of Virginia,
Harrison of Mississippi and Garner Of
Texas, said emphatically they would
not agree to the Mann plan unless
necessary to prevent long deadlock.
At the same time, they declared their
belief that they would organize the
house from speaker down and some
.of them interpreted Mr.. Mann's atti-
tude as an, Acknowledgements of the
republicans inability to organize the
house.
; Representative Mann said he prob
ably would see some of the other re-
publican leaders tomorrow to present
his views. He is willing, he said, to
make the race for speaker If ma
jority Of the republicans favor such a
course despite his personal belief that
it would be to the country's disad-
vantage. Partisan affairs should have
no place in the incoming house, he
said, and whether the country is to
have peace or war it is essential that
all parties unite at once to expedite
important public business.
Will Force Fight.
Democratic plans, it appears, are to
force the organization fight to vic
tory. if possible. Some of the party
spokesmen tonight predicted that the
entire organization would be COM
pleted within a few hours after con-
gress convenes next Monday.
A tentative arrangement contem-
plates the remaining, for the purpose
of making committee. nominations, the
ten members of the ways and means
committee of the last congress, who
return to the coming congress. The
custom, heretofore, has been for the
ways and means committee to make
the formal nominations for both sides,
although the republican floor leader,
in reality, has named the republicans.
Most of the democrats now here are
hopeful that their plan will be accept
able to the dissatisfied anti-prohibi-
tionists and the northern democrats,
who have threatened to fight against
southern committee chairmen. Prac-
tically all OF the new committee as
signments are expected to go to these
elements.
Republican organization plans have
not yet been perfected and probably
will not be before Saturday. The re-
publican conference, originally set for
Saturday night, was set forward today
to Saturday afternoon and notices
urging attendance sent out to all re-
publican representatives-elect.
Confidence is expressed among both
democrats and republicans that the
house will work harmoniously after
the brush over organization.