The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1920-07-26
CRISP IS IN LINE
FOR SPEAKERSH|P
If Democrats Win Next National
House-Speaker Will Be Either
Crisp or Claude Kitchin.

WASHINGTON, July 2l-Georgia
or North Carolina may furnish the
next speaker of the national house
of representatives in the event of
democratic success in November.
1t is more than an even bet dem
ocratic members of the house said
today, that either Claude Kitchin, of
the Tar Heel State, or Judge Charles
R. Crisp, of the third Georgia dis
trict, may be chosen next March if
the democrats organize the lower
branch of congress.
Democratic success is confidently
expected by party men here and not
in the sterotyped manner of stage
politicians who pay no heed to the
straws in the wind The Cox-Roose-
welt ticket, the chieftains declare, has
struck a popular cord and is sure to
win out over the republican senator
ial oligarchy personified in Candidate
Harding.
Overturr Is Expected
There are more than 100 districts
in the United States now held by
the Republicans that we exepct to
overturn this fall" Representative
Edward w. Pou, member of the DEM
ocratic congressional campaign COM
mittee, said today. "We consider
these districts not only debatabe
ground, but we believe that we are
going to win in them.
"Of course" he added, there are
some democratic districts in which
the situation looks dark now. 1t
may be that in a few of them we
will lose because OF local conditions.
In larger measure, however, espe-
cially where the issues of the party
are the main concern of the voters,
we are going to win"
The prospects of democratic sue
cess is alluring, SO much so that
democratic members of congress are
doping out the committee assign
ments they expect to receive. One
of the members doing little hgur-
ing today found out that Repre-
sentative Gordon Lee, of Georgia
will be. chairman of the agriculture
committee of the house should he
return next March. This commit
tee under the Cox program of hav
ing a real dirt farmer" as head OF
the agricultural department, promises
to be one OF the most important of
the house.
Interest in North Carolina and
Georgia, it was said here today, will
be great over the possibility that
one state or the other will furnish
the speaker of the next house. The
fighting Carolinian has ambitions in
that direction and also Judge Crisp,
both of whom are great friends.
Kitchin's Health May Bar.
Mr.. Kitchin, by reason of senior
ity and his rank on the ways and
means committee, would by all the
rules be first in line. But in con-
sidering his availability for the place,
his physical conditions must be taken
into account and his friends in Wash
ington fear that he would not be
a receptive candidate even if he knew
that he could have it. Others, though,
insist that Mr. Kitchin is recovering
rapidly from his recent stroke of par
alysis and that when the next ses-
sion of csngress opens he will be on
hand in his usual vigor and good
health.
Judge Crisp, his fellow members
say, practically is certain to be
IdlluludlC lol tHC SPCdhel snip IL IL 10
democratic house. 1t is conceded
generally that he will make strong
run. If Mr.. Kitchin wants to be
speaker, Judge Crisp would hardly
oppose him and by the same rule ii
the state of Mr.. Kitchin's health is
such that he cannot accept the place
a large part of his following in the
house would go to Judge Crisp.
They are both warm personal friends.