Evening star., 1921-02-27

~ row night the more than 100
~ new men coming in for the Six.
ty-seventh Congress will have
their first opportunity to participate in
the majority conclave.
Meanwhile the old members are secth-
ing and fretting and scheming various
reforms and conflicting organization
plans.
First off. the republican leaders in
the HOUSE realize that the party majori
ty in the new Congress will be so large
that it will be unwieldy, and so. they
are devising ways to promote cohesion.
There is persistent talk that they want
a real party whip whose business it
will be to keep the run of business and
see that the republican members use
their big majority strength to the best
advantage i'll carrying out the party
policies and program. They are looking
for whip to whom the many new
members will naturally look for guild
anCe.
Then there is the recurrent question
of committee assignments. especially
the committee CAairnlanShipS. There
has been considerable complaint. which
has grown strongnc during the last few
weeks, against Soane of the older men
who have been chairmen during the ses-
sion Just closing. Among those who
have been criticised by their fellow re-
pubicans, who say ''it is too bad that
the seniority rule betokens their again
being in charge. are: Fordney of Mchi-
gan. ways and means ; Greene OF MaSSa-
chusettS, merchant marine and fisheries ::
SteenerSOn of Minnesota, post office and
post roads; Haughen of Iowa. agricul-
ture. There is also considerable Within
party feeling against NolStcad of Min
nesota continuing as chairman of the
Judiciary committee, since he was not
reelected as Il republican candidate, and
since he threw over the party that made
him chairman for the prohibition party
in the recent special election in Cali
fornia.
Probably the greatest interest in
any committee Craftsmanship is taken
in appropriations. which will be the
most powerful committee in the
House, especially when the federal
budget legislation is passed. with the
prospect of Chairman Good of Iowa
retiring early in the new Congress to
engage in private business.
There has recently been a surpris-
ing amount of agreement among the
best politicians and statesmen in Con-
gress, members of both major parties.
to the effect that the best interests of
the country in legislation would be
conserved by restoring more power to
the Speaker, putting the right in his
hands to appoint the committee chair
man. and holding him responsible for
the appointments he makes There is
decided drift among the members
of Congress toward such course.
They say that they do not favor
return 10 extremes of cZarism or to
the days of Cannonism, but they do
say it would he infinitely better to
concentrate and centraliZe authority
and responsibility.
Seniority Rule Opposed.
Yet another wave of sentiment is in
favor of abolishing the seniority rule
under which The senior member from
the majority party on committee
automatically becomes chairman. With
dissatisfaction manifest in the case of
some of the committee chairmanships
it is pointed out that now would be a
psychological time to try to override
the seniority rule. The veteran men,
bers who would lose by such a revo-
luton are in a very small minority.
The more active and progressive run
ners-up on such committees feel that
they would be chosen for the cha airrnan-
ship. as. for example. Longworth of
Ohio on the ways and means. Ed
munds of Pennsylvania. merchant ma
8, rine and fisheries, and Walsh of Mas.
sachusetts. judiciary. The men who
of terms, who have been active in
committee and on the floor, feel that
they would get places of Importance
and honor more Immediately. The big
influx of new members would natur-
ally feel that they might win place
and prominence more quickly in a
free-for-all contest than under a rule
which would hold them back until
they had served long apprentice
ship in House legislation
Pr1f h.
lot of planning and conspiring as
10 how they can effect reforms, and
though it is openly admitted that
some of theses changes are desirab
in the public interest. it's a pretty
safe assertion that the republican
caucus tomorrow night will do moth
ing drastic or revolutionary or up
setting.
The new House will Ire reorganized
just about as IL is today, along the
lines of the least resistance. There
will be no reorganization that will
stir up a fight.
But. meanwhile, the democratic mi
nority is not asleep or blind to it's op-
portunities. and that is something
else that the republican leaders have
to take most seriously into consid-
Grafton. Under crafty. persistent. able
leadership. the smallest democratic
minority that ever sat in the House
can cause a whole lot of trouble for
the cumbersome republican majority.
Champ Clark is leaving Congress this
session. Representative Claude Kitch-
in of North Carolina has announced
that he viii leave the ways and
means committee and lead the party
in the House. his strength permit
ting If Kitcain fails Representative
John Garner of Texas is the logical
successor, and is recognized as one or
the hes, noiiticians the democrats IS