The New York herald., 1922-01-05
Continued from First Page.


and under the seniority rule he would
be eligible for the Craftsmanship.
Now the record of the Wisconsin
Senator on railroad legislation has
proved extremely popular with the rad
ical elements OF the country. but does
not particularly appeal TO persons
whose money Is invested In railroads.
He Is an advocate OF Government
ownership. has consistently supported
the trades unions In their disputes with
transportation systems and has indi-
Gated his complete sympathy with their
ambitions.
The new honors that will como to
Senators McCumber and possibly La
Toilette will be the direct consequence
OF observing the seniority rule in Sc
lecting chairmen and filling vacancies
on the various committees. The Repub-
lican partners of the agricultural bloc
have only recently come to view the
seniority rule with favor. In doing SO
they have entirely reversed their So
called progressive opinions within three
years. Proof of this statement is di-
rect. concrete and convincing.
At the special session of the Senate
called by President Wilson to ratify
the Versailles Treaty the Republican
party regained control Of that branch
after an interruption of nine years.
One of the first and most important of
it's acts was to select chairman OF the
Finance Committee to replace Senator
f. NJ Simmons. Democrat, OF North
Carolina.
Selection of Penrose.
Senator Boies Penrose of Pennsyl-
vania was by reason of seniority en-
titled to the position. There was not
the slightest question raised as to his
fitness. Because of his breadth OF
vision. experience. impartial apprecia-
tion Of the vast ramifications of every
class OF business of the country, he was
conceded by even his critics to be a
! worthy successor Of such men as
Arthur Pue German Of Maryland and
| Senator Simmons of North Carolina,
| William p. Allison of Iowa and Nelson
| w. Aldrich of Rhode Island. whose
administration Of the gigantic financial
interests of the Government and people
were characterized by independence of
thought. freedom Of action and an
! earnest appreciation OF the demands
and needs of all classes In the national
life.
In admitting the unqualified ability
Of Senator Penrose q group Of progress
! i've Senators vigorously denounced the
archaic rule of seniority and demanded
that Senator Penrose be set aside for
reasons that were solely partisan and
! that a progressive" must have the
honor. Some of the Senators who then
waxed wroth and eloquent In denounc-
! ing the perpetuations of the seniority
rule are militant members of the bi-
partisan agricultural bloc which is pre-
pairing to celebrate two victories
achieved by precisely the same processes
that they denounced, thirty months ago.
The protests Of the then progressives
against the seniority rule which they
pronounced Obsolete unfair" and
''reactionary." delayed the selection of
Senator Penrose for several weeks.
Some of the members OF the present BIZ
partisan agricultural bloc which pur-
poses to hold up and manipulate legis-
lation needed for Government ventures
and the welfare Of the country generally
refused to be reconciled to the decision
of the Senate to cling to the worn out
seniority rule in awarding the chairman
ship of the Finance Committee.
Complete switch Noted.
Yet these very same Senators are now
insisting that the Committee on Com
mittees" which distributes chairman.
ships shall respect the seniority rule In
both letter and spirit in selecting a
Finance chairman and promoting Sem
ator La Toilette. The reason, Of course
is that through the operation. Of the
seniority rule. which they denounced less
than three years ago. Senator McCum-
Der. dirt farmer from North Dakota
and one OF the shining lights in the ag-
ricultural bloc. Is eligible for the chair
manship Of the Finance Committee.
Time and circumstances have washed
away the iniqufty and purified the once
repugnant and Offensive legislative proc
esses. The bloc will grab control OF the
most powerful Congressional. committee
on whose decisions will largely depend
the distribution OF the national finances
of III, OQREpeople.
The selection of Senator McCumber
which appears to, be absolutely CERTAIN
will turn over to the wheat growers oi
the trans Mississippi section OF the coun'
try and the cotton growers of the Soutf
control of the national finances for the
first time since the civil war.
Up to now the chairmanship of the
Finance Committee has been held by mer
who have Jealously protected the rights
of both industry and agriculture will
equal fairness. II the plans of the lead
ers of the bipartisan agricultural blot
are realized. every agency in Congress
will be compelled to concede specia
privileges to the agricultural communi
ties regardless of the consequences o
such undertakings to the financial. com
merclal and Industrial population.
BIoc's Prociamations.
The bloc. through the strategic deploy
ment and manipulation OF It's bipartisan
forces. is already proclaiming Its inten
ton OF giving farmer a square deal.
and presumably the great financial, in
dustrial and commercial interests of th
country something else less profitable
They make no secret of their purpose &
take care of the needs and satisfy tn
special demands of the agricultural in
terests before they will permit cOnsidera