The Washington herald., 1919-03-07
SENIORITY RULE
ISBACKTRACKINC
TO CANNONISM'
Longworth Issues State
ment Criticising Repub-
Hcan Party Methods.
WANTS VICTORY IN 1920
Says Strongest Men Should
Head House Committees
in Next Congress.

The first definite rumblings OF a he
publican factional storm brewing for
the next House were heard yester-
day. Representative Nicholas Long
worth, OF Ohio, son-in-law OF the late
Col. Roosevelt, issued statement as
sailing the Committee on Committees,
now working out the Republican or
ganization.
lHe charged the committee with
''backtracking to the days of Can
nonism" In its strict adherence. to
the seniority rule in fixing commit
tee chairnanships as assignments. Fit
ness and efficiency have been lost
sight Of completely Mr. Longworth
declares. To his mind. the situation
is sad beyond expression"
Longworth GIIIett Leader.
Mr.. Longworth was one of the lead
ing supporters Of Representative GIL
lett for Speaker. He is one of the
few Glllett men on the Committee
on Committees. If he carries out his
intention to take the fight into the
caucus, Republican harmony and
solidarity will be seriously leopard
lied.
Our progress has been packard in
stead Of forward, backward to the
NldN = VI SOCdlEu NdIlllOulSILl, anu LntEl
some" says Mr.. Dongworth- Mr..
Speaker Cannon was an exponent Of
the seniroity rule. but he justified IT
by frequent exceptions in the interest
of efficiency. He never appointed CHAIR
men OF important committees whom
he believed to be obviously unfit.
Seniority Rule Followed.
We have done none Of these things.
We have followed the seniority rule
to the letter. We have selected as
chairmen of every important com,
mittee the men who happened tc
stand first on the list, whether they
were fit or obviously unfit. We shall
have to appoint on some of the most
important fighting committees in the
House men who have perhaps never
said, Mr.. Speaker
We are acting as a convention
whose rules and procedure have been
cut and dried beforehand, and where
small group of States can control
its every act or move.
Says situation is Sad One.
To my mind. the situation is sad
beyond expression. So far as the
organization of the House is con-
cerned. we are not living up to the
spirit Of the Republican party of to-
day. We have backtracked instead
OF going forward This sort of lead
ership is not what the Republicans
Of the country have a right to ex-
pect.
7 believe that the welfare of the
country depends on the victory of
the Republican party in 1920. and that
is why believe we should pick the
strongest men TO head important
committees" Longworth said. =
Statement is Attack on Mann.
Mr.. Longworth's statement plain
" is aimed at the domination of
the committee by Representative
Mann. OF Illinois. defeated candi-
Gate for the Speakership. Mr.. Mann
Is running things in the committee
in his own way, and the Gillett
adherents are on the point of re-
beIlion-
Had the plans OF the Gillett fac
tion gone through, Mr.. Longworth
would have been chairman of the
Ways and Mean Committee, or
floor leader.
The work of selecting chairmen
for the standing committees was
completed today. The committee
also transferred some members
from one committee to another and
fixed the rank of each on the re-
Spective committees.
Is on Ways and Means.
At the request of preventative
Kitchin, majority leader and chair