The sun., 1919-05-22
HAYS CONFERS WITH
LODGE ON POLICIES
Attends Meeting Also Of Lib
eral Senators During Visit
to Washington.
PENROsE CASE PASSED UP
Democrats Open a Battle for
More Places on Commit
tees in Senate.
Speciai DsspafcA TO Tnr shy.

cpccut DcsputCh 10 1HE SUN.
WARRINGTON. May 21.-will II. Hays,
chairman of the Republican National
Committee. dropped into washin gton
to-day and conferred quietly with sena-
tor Lodge, Republican leader, and at
tended also a conference OF the Liberal
Republican Senators who have been
meeting from time to time in the Office
Of Senator Borah Udaho).
At the Liberal Republican conference
Senators McNary tOre), johnson
(Cal) Jones twash.). Kenyon Ua).
Norris (Neb). Capper (Kan), Borah
and Mccormick (Ill), were preseAt
Later Senator Borah said the contro-
versy over organization was not dis
cussed, and that tho name of Senator
Penrose tPa.), who some Of this group
are opposing for the chairmanship OF
the Committee or Finance. was not
mentioned.
The conference continued for some
time after Mr. Hays left. II was ex-
planned that no effort was made to reach
an agreement concerning any future
phases OF the fight against Penrose, or
other matters relating TO the organiza-
ton. After the committee on commit
tees has reported and there is time to
study its hsndiwork, the liberals Will de-
termine what their attitude will be.
Senator Gronna (E. D., who was
named to the Committee of Committees
by Senator Lodge, to-day accepted the
position and will represent the liberal
wing Of the party.
Democrats want More Places.
The Democratic steering committee
has not dropped it's efforts to induce the
Republican organization in the, Senate
to give the Democrats a larger proper
tional representation on the committees
The Republican conference determined TO
reduce the membership OF the largest COM
mittee from twenty, as in tho last Con-
grees. to seventeen, and to give the ma
jority party ten and the minority seven.
compared 10 the division on the basis of
twelve to eight in the last Congress.
The Democrats assert that the basis OF
twelve and eight was reasonably fair in
a Senate that had ten Democratic ma
jority. but that OF ten and seven is en-
tirely unfair in a Senate which IL Re
publican by only two majority.
Accordingly the Democratic steering
committee named to-day Senators Mar
tin (Va), Hitchcock tNeb). Smith
(Ga.) and Simmons On. c. to present
their case to the Republican steering
committee. 1t was discussed at some
length and Senator Hitchcock sal after
ward that the Democrats hoped to get
concessions as to most OF the commit
teee.
The Republicans would not listen to
the suggestion of reducing their pre-
ponderance OIL the four particularly i'm
portant committees OF Finance, Foreign
Relations, Privileges and Elections and
Interstate Commerce. but were inclined
to discuss suggestion OF reducing the
other committees to a basis OF eighteen
members. ten Republicans and eight
Democrats.
Nee Fisht Among Republicans,
Some of the Democrats .r.',ratAd the
oehnite impression that one rea son vhy
the Republicans wanted TO maintain 40
largo a preponderance IN the member
ship was that they feared some OF the
llbtral Republicans might fly tie party
track ana endsnger the Republican con-
troll The Republicans were apparently
pretty well satisfied 10 make uD the Ap-
preparations Committee with party
majority OF only two. and indications
also were that they would place the i'm
pottant Military and Naval Affairs COM
mittees on the same basis. with ten Pc
iLblieans and eight Democrats
FINAL decisions were not reached. hut
the matter will have to be settled early
because the committee on committees,
which is now making assignments, can
not complete its work until II is known
now many OF each party are to be on
each committee
The REORGANIZATION Of
Relations Committee il proving a mar