The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-12-02
FightLoorn1s
on Railway
Legislation
Norris, Brookhart, Borah and
Three Others Stay Out
of Republican Sena-
torial Caucus.
Opposed to Cummins
BY p. c, POWELL,


Washington Correspondent The Omaha Bee
Washington, Dec. 1.-Senatol
George W. Norris of Nebraska. with
Senators La Toilette, Ladd, Brook.
hart, and Borah. failed to attend the
republican senatorial caucus to day.
u<The caucus elected Senator Lodge
chairman, and Senator Curtis vice
chairman. and authorized Lodge to
appoint a committee of committees.
There was no agreement made be-
tween any of us to stay away from
the caucus" Senator Curtis said.
Evidently every one did as he
thought best"
Norris Opposes Lodge.
From apparently authentic informa-
ton the fact was cleaned today that
the group represented by Norris
doesn't intend to wage any fight
over the election of Senator Cum
minis of Iowa as president pro tenn
pore of the senate, but under present
plans, If an attempt Is made to keep
Cummins also as chairman of the In
terstate commerce committee, this
group will do all in its power to force
Cummins from the chairmanship and
turn that position over to La Fol.
lette under the seniority rule
If the Norris group is successful 1t
will force a vote on the chairmanship.
1t is believed that in forcing such a
vote it will have the benefit of put
ting both republicans and democrats
on record as to their true feelings
toward the railway legislation. which
promises to be one of the most bitter
fights at the coming session. 1t Is
known that Norris believes that while
the democrats, forming the minority
in the senate, are protesting the Cum
Minis Craftsmanship on Abe interstate
commerce committee for sake of party
advantage, any number of them Will,
IL forced to vote, expose their true
color to their constituents.
Senator r. b. Howell of Nebraska
! attended the caucus. His presence
there seemed to cause surprise
among observers and he was asked re-
peatedly how he happened to attend.
well, there are two reasons" the
senator replied THE first is | am
a republican and was invited, and
second, / am new here and am at.
tending as many functions where |
am invited as possible in search for
information and knowledge of affairs
in Washington"
Question OF Patronage.
From the caucus Senator Howell
went Immediately to the office OF
Senator Norris, where he attended
conference of the Nebraska republi
can delegation called by Senator Nor
ris for the purpose of deciding upon
a manner of handling patronage that
comes from Nebraska. At the last
session it was customary for the Ne
braska delegation to meet whenever
there was any patronage to dispose
Of and each member vote, the major
ity deciding. This had to do with
senatorial patronage, only. the con-
gressmen attending individually to
their own exclusive patronage.
The same plan was proposed at to-
days meeting. Senator Howell stat
ed that as there was no immediate
patronage on the slate at this time,
he preferred to wait for a time before
entering into any agreement. The
conference broke up without any
definite agreement on how to handle
senatorial patronage which last ses-
sion was as much in the hands of
Nebraska congressman as in that Of
the senator to whom it was allotted.