The Glenwood post., 1919-05-17
Republicans Choose Leaders
With Cummins as President
and Lodge Floor Leader
Want OPEN CAUCUS

Washington, May 14.-Republican
senators in conference today agreed
unanimously upon program for organ
ization of the next senate, but deferred
discussion of the opposition by tho
progressive group to the election Of
Senator Penrose of Pennsylvania and
Warren of Wyoming as chairmen of tho
finance and appropriations committees,
respectively.
Senator Cummins of Iowa upon mo-
tion of Senator Borah of Idaho, spokes
man of the progressive group, was
chosen for president pro TEN of the
senate without opposition. Senator
Lodge of Massachusetts was reelected
Republican floor leader Senator Cur
tis of Kansas was reelected whip and
Senator Wadsworth of New York con-
ference secretary. George David Barry,
Providence, R. l., newspaper man,
for sergeant at arms.
All committee assignments were left
to committee on committees which
Senator Lodge was authorized to ap-
point and of which Senator Brandeg
OF Connecticut of the regular group
will be chairman. Eight other members
will be named soon and another party
conference will be held probably next
week to receive the committee IS report.
The seniority rule, it is expected, will
be followed closely by the committee,
although SONG of the progressives tot
day declared privately that they would
carry their fight against Senators Pen
rose and Warren to the senate floor.
The conference also authorized Sena-
tor Lodge to appoint committee on
order of business or legislative steering
committee of nine members, with Sen
ator McCumber of North Dakota as
chairman and Mr.. Lodge an ex-offic'a
members. certificate on patronage
distribution headed by Senator New of
Indiana was also orfNsed.
No indication of the fight again.t
Senators Penrose and Warren developed
in the conference, which was confined
to the routine businlsof plans for or
ganizing the senate. u was said that
the factional dispute was not men
toned. Seven members of the progress
sive group met in Senator Borah' g office
previous to the conference and agre II
to nominate Senator Cummins for presi-
dent pro tempore after Senator John
son of California had rejected a sug-
gestion from a delegation of the So
called regulars that he become can
didate.
The contest over the selection of SEN
ators Penrose and Warren to the com
mittee craftsmanship is expected to de-
velop in the committee on committees
and at the next conference. Senator
Borah declared today that he would
not attend the conference unless it was
open to the majority vote on commits
tee assignments.
A few of the progressives, it was
stated, plan to absent themselves from
the committee conference while others
were reported to intend to vote against
Senators Penrose and Warren in con-
ference, but prepared to accept a ma
jority vote of the conference. 1t was
said the progressives would nominate
Senator Townsend of Michigan for
chairman of the finance committee,
from the floor of the senate. Friends
of Senator Penrose expressed conf
dence that he finally would head that
committee, but there was said. to bo
strong sentiment among the regulars as
we'll as the progressives for election
of Senator Smoot of Utah to the ap-
preparations committee chairmanship.