Evening star., 1923-07-20
Brookhart's Threat.


s4ye republican, with blood in his eye,
now threatens to prevent republican
organization Of the House and Senate
unless the President calls q special
session of Congress Immediately to
purchase and market the farmers
crops.
The merits or demerits of the sug
@estion that the government buy the
farmers crops may rest for the mo-
Inent. II is unlikely that the President
will eau a special session, or that Con-
s-reSs, if called. would take such ac-
t:on. But Mr.. Brookhart's threat TO
take OUT of the hands of the republi-
can organization the control of the
House and Senate is another matter.
particularly as it now looks as though
he will be called upon TO make good
this threat.
Politically the compilations of the
Senate and House today are as follows:
Senate. 80 republicans. 43 democrats, .
farmer-labor and l vacancy. that of
Vermont and reckoned as Il sure re-
publican seat. total, 80: House, 22S re-
publicans, 202 democrats, ! farmer
labor. l socialist, independent and
Z vacancies. total. 49,. 1t does not re-
uuire much mental effort to observe
that u small group of disgruntled
progressive republicans in either
house, joining with the democrats,
could prevent the election by the re-
publican organization of the House Of
ficials. the makeup Of the standing
Committees. etc. The same is true in
the Senate.
But. on the other hand. there are
two essentials to bring about such q
result. One, that the progressive re-
publicans are willing TO stand with
Mr.. Broolthart on such an issue, and
the other that the democrats are will
ing 10 so in on the game. Mr.. Brook
hart has just returned from Europe.
He has not yet had an opportunity to
consult with his progressive col
leagues. 4 great difficulty met by the
progressives in the past has been the
fact that there were so many generals
and 80 few pIivates in their army. 1t
Ia probable that he is counting upon
the support of Senators La Toilette.
Frazier, Norbeck, Norris, Magnus
Johnson. Shipstead and perhaps How.
ell of Nebraska and one or two others,
TO make good the threat. But will they
follow his lead?
Not unnaturally. the democrats
would be glad to see the republican ad-
ministration embarra ssed. particularly
with national campaign in the offing.
But whether the democrats would be
willing TO play such a game with the
progressive group is another matter.
Would the coalition forces elect d
democratic Speaker of the House and
President pro Tempore of the Senate,
and democratic chairmen of the stand
ing committees? Or would the progress
sive group demand that it's members
hold the important positions? Formal
organization Of both branches might
he prevented by the offering of three
states, one each by the republican and
democratic organizations and one by
the progressives. Each standing pat
no majority would be had in the cleo
tions.
When it comes to the makeup Of
the standing committees through d
coalition of the progressives and the
democrats, if it ever does, snags are
in sight. For example. eliminating
Senator Lodge as chairman of the for
eign relations committee, Senator
Borah of Idaho is the next in line. 1t
would be strange TO find the demo-
Gratis, supporters of the league Of ma
tions, voting for Borah, the ''irrecon-
cilable." On the other hand, Senator
Swanson of Virginia is the ranking
democrat on the committee, an ardent
supporter of the league of nations in
the past. 1t could hardly be expected
that La Toilette, Norris and others Of
the progressive group who fought the
league tooth and toenail would care to
see him chairman of the foreign rela-
tionS committee.
1t is possible that the progressive
group. breaking away from the re-
publican organization. would be willing
10 put the democrats in power in the
next session of Congress. Political con.
verts, like religious converts, some.
times become fanatics. But it will be
interesting to hear what Mr.. La Fol
lette, Mr.. Norris and others have to
say in regard to the threat made by
Senator Brookhart.