The Washington times., 1923-11-30
old GUARD
T EAR IS
ENDED
Z No Longer Apprehends Control
Of Senate by Two-Party Pact.
La Toilette Still lIl.
By WILLIAM HARD.
Conservative Republican Sena-

Conservative Republican Sena-
tors were elated today by dis
covering, as they believe, that
they have nothing much to fear
any more from the Senatorial
progressive group" in the organ
izing of the Senate.
This sudden change in the
situation, according to reports re-
ceived by conservative Senators
from their progressive friends,
is due to the fact that certain
Republican members of the Sena-
torial progressive group" have
refused to make any overtures
10 the Democrats for the organ
izing of the Senate on Demo-
cratic basis with a Democratic
presiding officer.
La Toilette Stil III.
If, however. the progressive
group" is unwilling to treat with
with which to threaten the Repub-
licans. All that it could do in such
circumstances would be to plead
with the Republicans. To such
pleadings-for better committee ap-'
pointments or for a better chance
to bring progressive measures to a
vote-the regular Republicans may
make some concessions but net
many.
Senator La Toilette, the organizer
Of the progressive group" IS still
at home with cold. In his
absence four Of the five remaining
Republican members of the active
progressive group" are reported to
be unwilling to say good-by to
their Republicanism. These four
members are Borah Of Idaho, Brook
hart of iowa, and Ladd and
Frazier Of North Dakota.
Borah and Brookhart come up
for reelection next year. They
have been engaged in quarrels with
the Republican organizations Of
their States, but It is not believed
that they will wish to break with
them altogether, and it is not be-
lieved accordingly that hey viii
care to help the Democrats take
possession Of the United States
Senate.
Republican Votes Needed.
As for Ladd and Frazier, they
are, it is true, Non-Partisans
Leaguers in their State but they are
also Republicans and they stand in
need of Republican votes in their
State In order to continue to be
United States Senators.
The history OF Non-Partisan
Leaguers in Washington is that in
matters of organization in the Sem
ate and in the House they distinctly
have been Republicans rather than
Democrats.
Noting these facts and listening
TO reports which have come to them
from what they believe to be reliable
sources, the conservative Republi-
cans are for the most part convinced
that the progressive group" in the
Senate viii be unable to act with
any vigor against the Republican or
ganiZation and that the menace of
the progressive group" has gone by
for good unless it is revived by Ger.
tain passages in the Presidents mes
sage to Congress.
This message has not yet been re-
leased for publication but it is get
ting circulated in Washington pri-
vately. It contains passages which
are infuriating to certain elements
among the regular Republicans and
II embodies certain recommendation
which these elements are determined
to reject.
May Do Some Trading.
In order to get votes for rejecting
them the elements in question may
be willing to do some trading and
bargaining with the progressive
group"
Outside Of that possibility the sit
uation now is that the famous "pro-
gressive group" in the Senate is at
least temporarily rendered harmless.
The Senate-will meet with Senator
Cummins in the chair. An alliance
between the Democrats and the Re.
publican members of the "progres-
sive group" would be necessary in
order to displace him; and the i'm
pediments to this alliance are at