Evening star., 1923-12-10
FIGHT ON CUMM|NS
DEADLOCKS SENATE
OK. ON COMMITTEES
Interstate Commerce Body
Craftsmanship Causes Or
ganization Tie-Up.

The Senate deadlocked, at least tenn
porarily, this afternoon over the cleo
tion OF a chairman Of the Senate in
terstate commerce committee, which
will handle railroad legislation.
All the other Senate committee as
signments were unanimously agreed
to as presented by Senator Lodge, the
republican leader, for the republican
and democratic committees on COM
mittees.
Senator Wheeler Of Montana, demo-
crat. threw monkeywrench into the
machinery when he objected to agree
ing to all the committee assignments
as a whole. He insisted upon a sep
arate vote on the Craftsmanship Of the
interstate commerce committee. Mr..
Wheeler, although democrat, is a
member Of the so-called progressive
bloc of the Senate, which is demand
ing a change in the Esch-Cummins
transportation act.
The first ballot on the chairman
ship of the interstate commerce COM
mittee resulted, Al for Cummins. 80
for Smith, the democratic nominee
and z for La Toilette, who was sup
ported by the so-called progressives.
The second ballot resulted in no cleo
ton, with 80 votes cast for Cummins.
3S for Smith and for La Toilette.
Senate republican and democratic
leaders finished their work on COM
mittee assignments yesterday and the
republican selections were placed be-
fore a party conference this morning
for approval. Substantial progress
was made over the week end by the
democratic members Of the House
ways and means committee in their
task of naming the minority members
Of the other House. committees, but 1t
was not regarded as likely that either
the republicans or democrats would
have their states ready before the
latter part Of the week,
Senate Chairmanships.
New chairmen Of Senate commit
tees were selected by the republicans
as follows: Finance. Smoot, Utah;
judiciary. Brandegee, Connecticut;
naval. Hale, Maine; mines, Oldie, Ne
vada; post office, Sterling, South Da-
kota; public lands. Lenroot, Wiscon-
sin; privileges and elections, Spencer,
Missouri: territories, johnson. Cali
fornia; patents. Ernst, Kentucky; In
dian affairs, Harreld, Oklahoma; civil
service, Stanfield, Oregon.
Senator Lodge Of Massachusetts,.
the republican leader, retained the
craftsmanship Of the foreign relations
committee and Senators Lenroot, Wis
consin; Willis, Ohio, and Pepper were
appointed to fill the three vacancies.
Senator Shipstead, farmer-labor, Min
nesota, was given place on this
committee, and the democratic vacan-
cies were filled by Robinson, Adkan-
sas; Underwood, Alabama; Walsh,
Montana, and Owen, Oklahoma.
Five new republicans were placed
handle tax legislation: They are:
Reed, Pennsylvania; Elkins. West
virginia.: Mccormick, Illinois; Ernst,
Kentucky, and Stanfield, Oregon. The
two new democrats on this COM
mittee are Harrison, Mississippi. and
King, Utah.
Cummins Retaining Post.
Senator Cummins Of Iowa, Presi-
dent, pro tem..' Of the Senate, re-
mains as chairman Of the interstate
commerce committee. with Senator
La Toilette Of Wisconsin. recognized
leader OF the republican insurgents.
publican vacancies on this committee
were hlled by the appointment OF
Gooding. Idaho; Couzens. Michigan:
Fess. Ohio, and Howell. Nebraska.
The five new democrats on this COM
mittee are Pittman, Nevada; Bruce.
Maryland; Dill. Washington; Wheeler.
Montana, and Maydeld. Texas.
! Senator johnson, farmer-labor, Min
nesota, was given an extra place ere.
(ccntinsed On Pass :. Column ~