San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-19
PROGRESSIVE
REPUBLICANS
CREATE STIR
Announcement of Their
/, Plans Calculated to Dis
~. turb Harding.
FIGURE COYOTE BLOC
Won't Join With Party in
Selection Of Speak
er for House.
FIGURE COYOTE BLOC
Washington, d. c., March 1s.-The

Washington, d. C., March 19.-The
so-ealled Republican progressives, who
figure they will have bloc of 60 votes
in the next House, are laying plans
and mapping out a program as to
-.slShet they propose to do when Con-
gress convenes. The announcements
made, which, however, may be SUBJ
ject to some discount, are calculated
to disturb President Harding for some
time.
According to Representative John
NJ. Nelson of Wisconsin, leader of the
LaFollette forces in the House, it is
proposed that the progressives will not
ioin with the other Republicans in the
selection Of & speaker and House Or
ganization unless they are allotted
some of the plums, the same being
/. chairmanships Of important commit
tees.
1t is urged that with a majority of
less than twenty in the next House the
- -gular Republicans must count on al
most the united support of the progress
sives as we'll. Otherwise, it is claimed,
no speaker can be elected and the
House will be unable to proceed with
its organization and the business be-
fore it.
Plan Rather Ambitious.
This rather ambitious plan presup-
poses that the Democrat; will lind
their aid toward carrying it out. How
ever, this is by no means certain. In
fact the old-line Democrats will no
more relish having semi-radicals in
control of the important committees
than do the 'Old Guard" Republicans
and 1t is understood that several quiet
little conferences have been held which
do not portend any help for the Nel-
sonites from the Democratic side.
At the same time e is not going to
be altogether safe for administration
leaders to ignore the threats Of the
progressives. They are numerically
strong enough to throw number OF
monkey-wrenches into the machinery
and. owing little or no allegiance TO
the administration, may do just that.
, In fact the revolt may easily rival the
one of 1909 and 1910 when Cannon
ism" was overthrown.
Recalls Cannon Rule.
The fight then was against oneIman
rule in the House. Honorable Joseph
/, r, Cannon of Illinois, who retiredsyol-
NSrnrily the other day, carrying back
TO Danville the love and venerati1n OF
the House, was then speaker and most
vigorously hated. He was in his prime
and exercised full sway over the House
like q car he decreed who should
q. sneak, what legislation should be
called up and who should have
memberships on the important commit
tees. The smouldering resentment I'M
ally burst into flame and after bit
ter fight the rules wer. changed.
f One-man power no longer exists In
the House but the rules committee,
+ which has absorbed much of the power
formerly held by the speaker, Will be
fine object of attack. This committee,
consisting of a small coterie OF House
leaders. dictates the legislation to be
considered and sometimes does so de-
spite the will and wish of majority
in the House.
II is understood there is no particu-
lar objection to Speaker Gillette on
the part of the progressives as ne Is
) deemed a fair presiding officer put
! they insist they will not join IN MS
d: election until the committee lineup has
heen made known. They declare they
will insist on several chairmanships
and a. substantial representation on
some of the important committSes'
such interstate and foreign COM
merce. which controls legislation al
fectinG railroads.