The Washington herald., 1918-11-16
.G.O.p.CONTROL
In SENATE NOW
UNDER ATTACK
)Hopes of Party Threatened
by Move to Break Com
.mittee Trust.
WOULD GUST MEMBERS
Democrats Start Movement
to Unseat La Toilette
and Moses.

The hopes of the Republicans to
control the next Senate were
threatened by attacks upon two
fronts yesterday. Progressive Sena-
tors launched a movement to wrest
the big committee assignments
from the powerful reactionary
group led by Senators Penross
Lodge, Smoot and Brandegee. and
the Committee on Privileges and
Elections, headed by Senator Pome-
rene. Democrat, took tho first
steps toward unseating Republicans
whose right to hold their seats has
been questioned.
II the PrOgressives do or do not
succeed in breaking the rule OF the
reactionary leaders there is danger
that the bitterness engendered by
the fight will lead to a split that
will prevent the Republicans from
obtaining control
senate Might Be Tied.
On the other hand. il one Repub-
lcan should be unseated on the
ground of fraud or the eXtrayagant
use of money. the Senate would be
a tie. and Vice President Marshalrs
vote would enable the Democrats to
organize and control the Senate.
The movement of the Progress
siyes to break the control of the
reactionaries over the important
committee was led by Senator Nor
ris, of Nebraska, who introduced a
resolution to prevent any Senator
from serving as a member of a. COM
mittee while chairman OF any one
of eight designated committees
which are deemed to be the most
important in the Senate. In q
statement given out by Senator
Norris, following the introduction
of the resolution, he admitted that
the purpose OF the move is to pre-
went the business OF the Senate from
being controlled by less than a
dozen men," thereby leaving nc
doubt that the measure is aimed al
the small group Of Senators who are
in line for the important chairman
ships. ..
Senator Norris resolution. which Is
aimed at the time-honored seniority
rule" in the making up of the Senate
committees, is as follows:
After the fourth day of March
1919. any Senator who is chairman oi
Finance, Foreign Relations, Inter
state Commerce, judiciary. Military
Affairs, Naval Affairs. or Postoffice:
and Post Roads. while holding such
Craftsmanship. shall not be a mem
her Of any Of the other of said com
Nittees."
II this rule were adopted by the
Senate the system of ''inteTlOCking
committee assignments would bt
broken up when the Republicans
take control OF the next Senate. II
il is not adopted, and the chairman
ships are assigned under the rule OF
seniority. the ranking Republican
members Of the eight committees
named will be as follows:
Appropriations, Warren, Smoot
Dillingham;: Finance, Penrose, Lodge
McCumber: Foreign Relations, Lodge
ycCumber, Borah; Interstate Com
n,erce. Cummins, Townsend. La Fol
Iette; Military Affairs. Warren
wadsworth. Sutherland; Naval AT,
fairs. Penrose. Lodge, Page; Judi
ciary. Nelson. Dillingham;, Brande.
gee: Postoffices. PenrOse, Townsend
Sterling.
Thus it will be seen that Senator
Penrose will be the senior member
on three of these committees: Sena-
tor Lodge is on three, and Senator
Warren, Senator Townsend. Senator
Dillingham; and Senator McCumber
each on two. 1t is to break up this
system that Senator Norris has CT
fered his resolution. and it is under
stood that he has the backing Of the
small group of Progressive Senators,
= T1rhr, Ia..rF 80
y eilogg. Johnson of California, and
McNaTy Of Oregon.
Senator Norris said the conference
committee was the most powerful
instrument in legislation. and it was
the intent OF his amendment to pre-
vent such committee from being con.
troIled by less than dozen msn.
Pesrose Not Worried.
Senator Penrose. who Is destined to
be chairman of the Finance Commit
tee il the seniority rule is adhered TO-
did not regard the Norris resolution
with much seriousness. Other Sena-
tors recalled. however. that It vas
Norris who broke up the rule OF Can.
nonism while he was in the Lower
House, leadin- the successful revol
against the power of the Speaker
which bro ,ght about Cannon's re
tirement.
The Pr vileges and Elections Com
mittee scided to reopen the inves
tigation of Senator LaFollette mex
Friday. A resolution is pending lie.
fore the committee to expel LaFol
lette from the Senate because OF tn,
sDeech made by him in St Paul
The matter has been hanging fire 90,
several ponths. but the Democrats
have now determined to revive it
At the same time formal notice of tn,
hling OF a contest of the seac oi
Senator-elect Moses in New Hamp-
shire was made to the committee. and
a message was received to the effest
that important documents are on the
way from Michigan which will hav,
some haaI.inC on the Naurharr,--r,r.