Evening star., 1919-03-16

3Jcrfty of democrats in the House are
, for the league of nations and for
loyal support of the President. and
What Champ Clark would be the lead
Ser of a minority in the minority
That there is no personal feehns
SnEa inst Mr. Clark and that it Is
purely a contest for party success Is
enphatically and repeatedly stated
{ by Mr.. McClintic and the other mem :
bers of the committee.
They claim that they are not pick
hut are crystallizing sentiment look
ing to the organization of steering
committee. much on the same plan
, as that selected by the republican
: majority, which will represe Il all
sections of the country. They say
that if they are successful in the
g caucus they propose to have the
steering committee elect it's own
chairman who will be nominated
for minority leader.
Will Be Impartial.
In illustrating that they propose
. sented they suggest that they are
likely to make Representative Kitchin
of North Carolina. who has been
House leader. and who is an out
and-out Clark supporter, member
of the steering committee. and that
they hope also. to have on it Rep
resentative Scott Ferris Of Oklahoma,
who is an administration loyalist
who was democratic manager OF the
recent congressional campaign IN
Hlo~ Of
gress was changed. and who is
warm personal friend of Champ
Clark.
The present intention is to have
the proposed democratic steering
. committee represent the twelve fed
eral reserve bank districts, SO as to
give proper representation to all sec
tons of the country. This steering
committee would lay out the work
for the democrats in the next Con-
Sress. so as to put responsibility on
individual members, and thus Work.
they believe, for greater harmony
and efficiency.
1t is claimed that between sixty and
seventy members have already pledg-
ed their support to an adminlstra-
tion candidate against Mr.. Clark. but
those who have been checking up on
individual members say that not NOR 9
than thirty to thirty-five will admit
that they are lined up with the move
ment. There will be 1874 democrats IN
the next House
Grooming Certain Men.
While the statement is emphatically
made by members of the committee
conducting the campaign that they
have had no particular candidate IN
mind. certain members who have been
in the conferences state quite frank
" that Representative Cordell Hull OF
Tennessee. a member of the ways and
means committee, is being groomed.
The name of Representative Scott
Ferris is also mentioned as an able
party man who might hear the call OF
the White House and be forced to be-
come a candidate, even though a warm
personal friend of Mr.. Clark. There
are also reports flying thick and fast
about the Capitol that other demo-
cratic leaders have been sounded out
as to whether they would allow their
names to be presented with the sup
mort of the anti-Clark following, such
as Representative Finis Garrett OF
Tennessee and Representative James
A. Galiivan of Massachusetts,. both OF
whom are said to have declined.
In justice TO Champ Clark, who has
been out of Washington on speaking
tour while this opposition has been
aired. attention should be called to
fhe statement he made the other DAY,
giving the lie direct to printed state
ment issued by the opposition In
which Mr.. Clark was accused OF be-
ing against the league of nations ana
having said in picturesque language
that it had no chance of passing.