The sun., 1919-03-07
Fate Modifies the Elects OF q Re-
publican Blunder.

For the Republican majority in the
House of Representatives, of the Sixty
sixth Congress to adopt the vicious
seniority rule in the selection Of chair
meh of committees was an error in
strategy so serious, political blunder
so stupid that the course followed by
the caucus Is as incomprehenslble as
: it u indefensible.
With the lesson and warning Of
Democratic disaster resulting in large
measure from incurable bourbonism
fresh in their minds, the Republicans
should have had the initiative. the in
dependence, the courage to abandon
this utterly discredted system. They
should have installed in its place a
practice under which brains, excep-
tional fitness, particular aptitude
could have won recognition. and pro-
motion in committees would not have
depended merely on length Of service.
There is, however, comfort to be
extracted from the actual results OBJ
tanned from the operation Of the rule
in the present instance. 1t is not
necessary for Republicans to dwell
only on the dark side Of the picture.
Under no conceivable process of Sc
lection would untried, new, inexperi-
enced members have received the i'm
portant committee places. Familiar
fly with the rules, the traditions and
the methods of the House, and ac-
Quaintance with it's members as we'll
rs knowledge of the affairs entrusted
10 them and character to deal with
them are essential to the post of
chairman of any committee. Exam
lining the list of the members eligible
under these restrictions. 1t Is evident
that the selections actually made are
generally good, and in some cases
they are the only ones that could have
been made.
Representative FoRDNEY of Michi-
gan, whatever may he said Of him, is
thoroughly equipped to head the
Ways and Means Committee. Rep
resentative Coon of Iowa has been Il
hard working, conscientious lawma-
ker on Appropriations. Representative
KAHN of California has been such a
useful and valuable member OF the
Military Affairs Committee that the
Democrats In the Sixty-f1ft Congress
looked to him for leadership. On any
principle OF selection he would have
succeeded Representative DENT Of
Alabama, the Republicans being In
better qualified than Representative
EsciI of Wisconsin to head the Com
Inittee on Interstate and Foreign Com
MERGE. Representative PORTER Of
Pennsylvania will be acceptable to the
country as chairman Of Foreign AZ
fairs. Representative STEVENSON Of
Minnesota has qualified himself by
study and hard work to direct the
Committee on Post Offices and Post
Roads with intelligence.
Among the men to whom the chair
manships so far decided upon have
fallen under the seniority rule there
are flew whose records do not jus
tIfy confidence in their capacity and
willingness to labor diligently in the
pubic interest In the posts to which
they, nave been assigned; and unpre-
JUDGED survey Of the new House will
disclose the fact that had appoint
inents been made exclusively for merit
many of these same men would have
been put where they now are.
Thus. happily for the Republicans
and. =what is More important, for the
couptry, they have been saved in the
House for the Slxty-slxth Congress
from the disastrous possibilities OF the
seniority rule; but their leaders there
andlin the nation cannot expect such
foftunate outcome Of a repetition of
their blunder when they organize the
Sixty-seventh Congress.