Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-10
1T is EASY TO LAY THE
LA TOILETTE BUGABoO
The Senate Can Keep the Wiseonslnian
In His Place as the House Discouraged
the Ambitions Of Congressman Ware

TNIIE death of Senator Penrose has brought
L Senator La Toilette so near TO the head
of the Committee on Finance that certain
tImid politicians in Washington are talking
about asking the President to use his intlu-
cnce TO defeat La Toilette for re election
this year.
The President is not likely to interfere
with the freedom of choice in Wisconsin
even if he should be asked to do IL. 1t is
dangerous business for President to try
TO dictate in the choice of members of either
house of Congress. No President has ever
done it without being condemned, and presi-
Dental interference has seldom accomplished
the ends sought
Mr.. Harding Is the kind Of man to say
that If the voters Of Wisconsin wish to be
represented by La Toilette in the Senate
no one should say them nay. La Toilette
hns satisfied them for nearly eighteen years.
II may be that he will continue to satisfy
them. All efforts to exclude him from the
Republican Senate Caucus have thus far
failed and his refusal at times to abide by
the caucus decisions has not been enough
to induce his colleagues to deny TO him
Republican standing
The chances of Senator IA Follette's be-
coming chairman of the Finance Committee
depend on the enforcement Of the seniority
rule He is now the third member of the
committee. Senator SmOOt has served on it
longer than he and is now the second mem
Der. and Senator MCCumber, who has sue
ccedcd to the Craftsmanship through the
death of Senator PCnrosc, has moved up
from second to first place through the opera
ton of the rule that the man who has been
on the committee longest shall be its chair
man. La Toilette is also the third member
on the Committee on Interstate Commerce
and the second member on the Committee
on Indian Affairs and the chairman of the
Committee on Manufacturers He Is getting
so near the top that serious consideration
must be given 10 the problem which he
presents.
That problem can be solved by the Senate
itself without the interference Of the Presi-
dent in Wisconsin politics. The simple way
to do it is to abolish the seniority rule and
to make up the committees in accordance
With tho Gtness of the various Senators
to carry out tho policy of the party through
the action of these committees.
The case of La Toilette IS not the only
one which would be disposed Of By such n
course Senator Borah may trouble the
committee trainers some time, for he Is the
third member on the Committee on Foreign
Relations Senator Lodge, an old man who
will seek re- election this year, is chairman
of that committee. Senator McCumber,
who has just become chairman OF the Com
mittCe on Finance, is the second member,
and Borah is the third. In the event of
the retirement or disability of Lodge it
would be necessary for MCCumber to choose
between the chairmunship Of his present
committee and that on Foreign Relations.
lie could not we'll preside over both COM
mittCes. If he should prefer the Committee
on Finance then BOrah, under the seniority
rule, would become chairman of the com
mittec which handles all treaties and has
general charge of all matters relating to
foreign affairs.
He s'the kind Of parochial minded Amer
iCau who ought to be kept in the back
ground when the foreign policy of the
Nation is being framed.
The House of Representatives found
way out of q similar pred!Camcnt when
James W. Good, chairman of the Com
mittCe on Appropriations, resigned. Charles
r. Davis, Of Minnesota, was in line for
the craftsmanship and William $. Ware, Of
Pennsylvania, came next TO Davis. But
instead of making Davis chairman the place
was given to Martin b. Madden, Of Illinois.
Daniel j. Anthony, Jr., of Kansas, was
placed next in order TO Davis, and Ware,
who had been the third member of the COM
mittee, with Good as chairman. is now
the fourth member of Madden's committee.
If the House can dispose of the preten-
sions Of Ware 10 the craftsmanship of one
of its most important committees the Senate
ought to be able to dispose of any claims
of La Toilette or Borah.