The Colorado statesman., 1922-03-04
FIGHT BEGINS FOR
NEXT CONGRESS
cHAIRMEN FESS AND ROUSE
PUTTING ALL THEIR FIELD
WORKERS ON THE JOB.
CONFIDENCE ON BOTH SIDES
Republicans Expect to Lose Some
Seats But to Retain Control, While
Democrats Predict They Will Cap
ture the House.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK

oy EDWAhD b. CLARK
Observation-Disclosures of both par
ties are about to enter into field work.
NO condition of unemployment will
race either the Democratic or the Re
publican parties for the next nine
months. The Republicans must work
to keep what they have, while the
democrats must work to take over
what they can get. The Democrats
say they can get much. The Repub-
licans say they can get little or moth
ing.
The congressional campaign COM
mittees of both parties have been
named save for some few members Of
the Democratic body who are to be
appointed shortly. 1t is probable that
IN each state in which either party is
to make fight a committeewoman
VIII act as first assistant TO the cam
palgn committeeman. The day has
gone by for the raising of any ques-
tion as to the advisability of seeking
the aid of women in party politics.
Attempts have been made recently
to name the probable chief issues of
sion of the house of representatives
and for part of the United States
senate. Neither the Democratic nor
the Republican leaders know yet
what the issues will be. Congress
must do its work and adjourn before
the Republicans will know whether
they are to go before the country on
the international conference issue plus
certain Legislative enactments, or
whether they must be forced to con-
tent themselves with campaign of
promises of things yet to be done by
the party in congress.
Rouse and Fess Are the Chairmen.
Arthur b. Rouse, Democratic men,
ber of the house of representatives
from the Sixth district of Kentucky,
is the chairman of the Democratic
congressional campaign committee
The Republicans reelected Repre-
sentative Simeon d. Fess as chair
man of their congressional campaign
committee some time ago. Rouse and
Fess are good campaigners. 1t has
been said of the Ohioan that he Is a
particularly good campaigner because
he knows better than any other man
the issues which will appeal with vary
ing force in varying districts of the
country. He will make the most of
bonus where bonusing Is good, and
the most of conference where confer
encing is good.
Democratic party officials who also
hold congressional offices actually be-
lleve that the Democracy Is to capture
the next house of representatives. In
every campaign, Of course, there are
expressions of assurance of victory,
but always 1t is easy TO determine
sincere. 1t seemingly is sincere this
year SO far as the Democrats are con-
cerned
Chairman Fess has said that the
Democrats may make few gains
because it would hardly be expected
that we could retain our overwhelm-
Ing majority of one hundred and six
ty nine. The Democrats, however, will
not come anywhere near to gaining
control"
Mr.. Fess has had given to him the
job of electing a Republican majority
in the next congress. 1t is not alto
gether Il thankful task which he has
on his hands, for few politicians of
any party believe that the Repub-
licans will have as great a majority in
the next house as they have in the
present one. Any loss of members,
nevertheless, will be blamed upon the
campaign committee leader.
National Committees Help.
In the years that are gone the DEM
ocratic and the Republican congress
sional committees ''went 1t alone" In
the campaigns. The national COM
mitteemen gave the congressional COM
mittee leave to do just about what it
wanted to do without any suggestion
from the greater headquarters. In re-
cent years things have bNen changed
and of course wisely so, for now 1t is
the duty of the national committee to
help the congressional committee In
every way possible. In fact, the two
committees are about ms active in the
campaign midway between the presi-
dental campaigns as they are In the
greater campaign itself.
Martin b. Madden. chairman of the
house committee on appropriations,
recently gave out n statement in which
he told of the reduction in govern
ment expenses made possible under
the present administration. He could
not hold out any hope, however, of
any great decrease In the taxes of the
Immediate future.
Campaign leaders. however. know
that the best promise to make the
voters is that their taxes will be re-
duced. The Republicans promised IL
In 1920. Taxes have not been ma
terially reduced. The Democrats I'm
the coming congressional campaign