Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1917-04-06
, speaker defeated James R. Mann Of

resentatiye Lenroot, .; Representative
Gillette, 2. Two members were re-
corded present but not voting.
Nominated by Progressive.
The dramatic moment of the house
organization preiiminaries was the
nomination of Champ Clark by Rep
resentative Thomas ID. SchalI, the Pro-
gressiye Republican of Minnesota.
The blind member was led to the
center of the house by page. His
introductory remarks were of a patri-
otic nature, not disclosing the real OBJ
jet of his speech. He continued:
"A state divided against itself in
time of peace may stand, but today
such a situation might be a serious
menace. We should forego party adj
vantages in q time like this.
The peril of today renders partisan
ship dangerous because it might be
construed as a country presenting
divided front to the world. As an in
dependent Progressive Republican.
have no hesitancy in saying how /
must vote under the circumstances.
Were my country not in the face
of an international crisis, with the
president and the senate Democratic,
would as a mater of party pride cast
my ballot for the Republican candi-
date. He is able. alert, fair-minded.
| should like to vote for him.
May Be Used Against Him.
Il realize trat action | am about to
take Will be used to attempt my po-
litical death in Minnesota.
With my sightIess eyes / would be
of little service TO my country o. the
field of battle. but l can use the light
that God gives me 10 vote right today.
believe the president should have a
Democratic senate and house behind
him.
Under all these circumstances l
shall cast my vote for Speaker for
that Progressive Democratic, Champ
Clark of Missouri"
Does the gentleman place Mr. Clark
in nomination for speaker" asked
South Trimble, clerk of the house, who
was presiding.
Il gladly do So" said Schall
Representative William S. Greene OF
Massachusetts then arose to nominate
James Tl. Mann as the Republican can
didate and the Republicans had their
first opportunity to applaud Mr..
Greene, however. did not make any
formal speech in naming Mr. Mann
Representative LenToot of Wiseon-
sin, who has been a keen critic of
some of Mr.. Mann's acts, received
thunderous applause from the Repub-
liean side when he went into the well
of the house to second Mann's nomin-
alton. He had previously been
brought forward by a faction of the
Republicans as a candidate for the
speakership. 1t was a dramatic mo-
ment when Lenroot in seconding the
nomination OF Mann, said:
Il cannot let the statements of the
gentleman from Minnesota and the in
ferences they make go unchallenged.
He takes the position that patriotism
demands that the organization of this
house be turned over to the Demo-
Gratis.
Patriotism demands that the Demo
Gratis out TO submit to a Republican
organization of the house"
Shouts of Me- from the Demo
cratic side interrupted him.
When he resumed it was to promise
that there will be no partisanship in
the house. SO far as the Republicans
were concerned.
What we need in this hour is a
united country" he said. We need
the wisdom, the advice and the assis-
lance of every American. This is no
time to criticize the president, but il
would be far better for the country
| if the president was compelled TO con.
suit Republicans as well as Democrats
in this crisis"
Representative Lee of Georgia, Dem.
ocrat. who had been seriously i'll. was
brought into the house amid the APP
plause of his colleagues on the Demo
cratic side. He cast his vote for Clark
for speaker.
Mr.. Lee was among those absent
when the roll was called to determine
quorum. He showed plainly the eff
fects of his Illness when assisted 20
the floor by two attendants. Up until
the last moment it was not thought he
could be present. His presence. and
the fact that four Of the Ave indie
pendents who voted in the early stages
of the roll call cast half their ballots
for Speaker Clark made the Nilsson.
rian's election certainty long before
the roll call was completed