Evening star., 1923-01-21
MEN. AND AFFAIRS
\ REPRESENTATIVE NICHOLAS
y LoNGwoRTH's ambition to
\ bArOy1,a Iaadar ~ tho MatfopaI
BY ROBERT T. SMALL.

REPRESENTATIVE NICHOLAS
~ LONGWORTHS ambition to
become leader of the National
House Of Representatives is
about to be realized. The reg
| ulars" among the republicans in the
House have had Mr.. Longworth slated
for the job ever since Mr.. Mondell
made his ill-fated decision to stand
for the Senate in Wyoming last
fall, but the insurgents started a boom
for Representative Graham of
Illinois, which threatened trouble for
time. The insurgents made entirely
too much noise with their boom. 1t
startled the Longworth cohorts into
action and they seem today to have
the situation pretty well nailed down.
President Harding has had a very
particular interest in the success Of
Mick" Longworth. 1t is an interest
which goes back to the Chicago conven-
tion in 1920, and 10 the senatorial fight
in Ohio that year. When Mr.. Harding
went to Chicago he harbored two
conflicting ambitions. He wanted the
republican nomination for President,
and, failing that he wanted to sue
ceed himself in the United States
Senate. Mr.. Harding did not share
the faith Of his closer friends that
he had No. / change for the Presi-
Dental nomination. but he knew he
could have the senatorial denomination
for the asking.
II SO happened that Mr.. Harding
had to make q definite decision as TO
entering the senatorial primaries on
Friday midnight of national convention
week. That was the last moment for
filing his papers. 1t was not alone
trying time for Mr.. Harding. 1t
worth waS for "Nicf" had told "warren"
that he would file for the senatorial
nomination If the latter did not. Mr..
Harding said he would certainly
stand for reelection to the Senate If
he failed in the higher ambition. Mr..
Longworth said he would take no
action until Mr.. Harding knew what
his own decision would be.
week arrived the fight for the
nomination looked like deadlock
between Gov. Lowden of Illinois, and
Gen. Leonard Wood. Senator Hard
situation was exactly to their liking
and that he would be chosen as the
compromise candidate.
Mr.. Harding wanted to believe this
good news, but again he was skep-
tical. The hour OF midnight Friday
papers were in Columbus all ready
for fling So were Nick Longworth' s.
Meantime, Col. George Harvey, Sen
ator Murray Crane and other big
wigs of the convention were meeting
70 decide on the presidential situa-
ton. Harry Daugherty was with
them from time to time. Midnight
kept approaching relenuessly, how
ever, and when Mr.. Harding at 1880
pm. had received no reassuring word
from the big conference he directed
that his senatorial papers be filed. lie
wanted to be certain of succeeding
himself, no matter what the decision
Of the convention might be. His ac-
ton in filing automatically shut Nick
Longworth out.
Next day Mr. Harding was nomirat-
ed for the presidency. It was too late
for Longworth to file for the Senate.
He had to content himself with re-
election to the House, and il was then
that his eyes turned toward the
House leadership on the floor. In the
anxious Mr.. Harding has been that
mick" should succeed.
y \ X X
TT seems but few days ago that the
i entire nation was commenting
upon the fact that it had fallen to
the lot OF William Howard Taft as
President Of the United States vir-
tually to reconstitute the personnel
Of the Supreme Court. Including the
elevation Of Mr.. Justice White to the
Chief Justiceship, Mr.. Taft was
! credited with six appointments to a
court of nine judges.
Today Mr.. Taft sits on the bench
Of the Supreme Court as Chief Justice
and beside him there is but one of the
six men he named. Yet only ten years
have elapsed since Mr. Taft left the