The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-03-26
'Wet" Democrats Of House
Sore at ''Drys"- NORTH
Opposes South.
RADICAL REPUBLICANS
FIGHT STANDPATTERS
House Leaders Already on
Scenc-An Parties to
Caucus This Week.

| convening Of congress In extra session
only Il week Off. congressional leaders
are here for conferences with adminis-
| tratiOn officials over legislation which
will be demanded by the virtual state
Of war existing between the United
States and Germany.
| Members of the senate foreign rela- :
tionsand military committees and of
| the house ways and means committee,
which frames revenue legislation, will
have important matters to discuss.
Organization Fight.
Aside from the great business for
which congress has been called, the
question Of organization is chiefly oc-
cupying the house leaders. The Demo-
Gratis and Republicans said tonight
that the election of speaker probably
would follow soon after the house was
called to order, but that the organiza-
ton of the committees presented a
| problem the result of which no one
could forecast
| The attitude of the So called wet
members and some of the northern
| Democrats is giving concern to the
| Democrats while the Republicans are
troubled over their progressive wing.
Any OF these elements might easily
| wreck the organization plans of either
side. and some observers are predict
! - ,tS
in filling committee chairmanships
will be the first manifestation of their
strength.
| Democratic "Wets."
| Feeling among the Democrats over
some assignments was bitter at the
close of the last congress. The ''wets,'
of whom there are about a score who
feel angred over the manner in which
the prohibition legislation was pushed
through in the dying days of the ses-
sion, declared that they would see sew
eral Democratic chairmen displaced at
this session if they had to vote with
the Republicans. In turn Democratic
"drys" declared openly that any insur-
gent movement by the "wets" would
result in their summary relegation to
the foot of the committees.
Northerners Sore.
Discomfort among northern Demo.
Gratis over southern Democrats hold.
ing virtually all of the choice commit
tee chairmanships broke out in heated
declarations that the coming session
would have to see some decided
changes in committee heads if north
ern support was desired further Ru.
} mors reaching the capital daily indi
cate that many of the Democrats still
! are in a fighting mood and will demant
pledges of changes in committee head.
before they will agree to caucus rule.
on anything except the selection o
speaker. All factions are united il
their support Of Speaker Clark for re
election.
i | In the last congress only one big
committee. appropriations, was headed
by Democrat from the north, Repre-
sentative Fitzgerald of New York. Hi
acknowledged ability for this place
assures him of reelection to thi
Craftsmanship If the Democrats or
! ganize the house.
l Webb Opposed.
One Of the biggest fights among tn,
} Democrats is expected to occur or
/ Representative Webb of North Car
olino former chairman of the judiciar,
committee and leader of the hous,
, prohibition forces, He incurred ths
!. 1enmity of the wet" members of hi:
party last session by his energetic sup,
port of dry" measures. All prohibi
tion go to the judiciary committee and
/ i Representative Webb is the author
) and champion OF a nation wide pro
, hibition resolution.
Other committees headed by south
, erners at the last session of congress.
. included:
Military, Dent. Alabama: naval
Padget. Tennessee: foreign affairs
Flood, Virginia; rules Henry, Texas
!. ways and means. Kitchin, North Car
! olina: interstate commerce. Adamson
r Georgia: agriculture. Lever. Soutl
t Carolina: banking, Glass, Virginia
: postoffice, Moon, Tennessee and Dis
] trict of Columbia, Johnson Kentucky
Save for Representative Henry o
Texas. all of these chairlnen were re
: turned and II the seniority rule shoul,
prevail they would succeed themselves