Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-22
SPEAKERSH|P RACE
! HAS GERM OF FIGHT
Old Republicans Fear Dissen-
sion Now Might Affect
1920 Campaign.

Some of the older republicans in
the House apprehend that the pros
pective contest over the speakership
contains a germ of factional conten-
ton which if not sterilized will breed
party dissensfon to bear evil fruit on
the eve of the next presidential cam
paign. One group Of House republi-
cans contends that since Mr.. Mann's
supporters claim him to have fairly
earned the speakership by virtue Of
his long service in the House and as
recognized minority leader, it will be
the part Of political wisdom promptly
to elect him Speaker without permit
ting a contest to foster and foment
possible factiona1 differences Of
opinion.
Another element insists that Mr..
Mann's candidacy is not agreeable to
some republicans; allege that he has
been affiliated in the past with re-
dictionary republicanism, and that the
party must divest itself of all former
associations upon taking up the new
power invested in it by the voters.
These men do not tie to any particu-
lar individual, but are against Mann
And Some for Ozark Horse"
1t might be said that there is a
third class intent upon forwarding
the interests of "dark-horse" as
pirants for the Office, and who would
welcome the opening of the door of op-
portunity, set ajar by bitter contest.
The advocates of the selection of
Mr.. Mann by general agreement and
waiver of personal predictions for
another, in behalf of party exped-
iency, fear that to wage fight
which could be successful in defeat
ing Mr.. Mann might be to allege and
lican party is not united; that it is
still made up of the two factions
which flew at each others throats in
1912 and destroyed the party until it
was reunited last November.
Hope to Avert Split.
They contend that whether the at
successful or not, the mischief would
have been done in formally dividing
the republicans into alleged reac-
tionaries and professed progressives.
Some of the men who put forward
this arrangement would not, all things
Speaker. But they say they realize
the cogency of the arguments in his
behalf, and. more than that, are SEN
sible Of the danger to the party in
starting up factional disturbance at
the very outset of the taking over
of Congress by the republicans.
It is urged that if there are inherent
differences of opinion as to policies,
likely to result in a factional clash,
the time to precipitate it is not in the
organization of the House. If inevi-
table, it can better be relegated, it is
insisted by them, to party caucus and
conference.
"Clothesline' Too Public.
A speakership contest, the men of
this view contend, is too public a
clothesline upon which to air party
linen. The further point Is made by
them that under the regime of latter
days, to be sustained by the republi-
cans as a fixed custom, the speaker
ship is not the office to be made the
test of adherence to one party policy
or another. The Speaker Of nowadays
and of the future will not WELD the
power exerted when last the repub-
licans held the House.
Dividing on factional lines over the
speakership is not warranted. it is
claimed by the men who talk in this
strain. Such division can come, if at
all. in the make up of committees.
which is to be done in caucus. and in
caucus agreement upon specified poll
cieS.