The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-24
SENATE PRESENTS. RADICAL CHANGES
LaFoIIette, Borah, ct aI., Are in Powerful Position On Im-
 portant Committees
By RAYMOND CHAPTER tBy Leased Wire To Age-UeraId.


 WASHINGTON, Nov. 25. - Those who have always thought of the United States Senate as rich mans club and the stronghold of conser- vatism will revise their opinion when the new Congress gets into action. For many years 1t has been the popular impression that the House was the more radical body and that Inc Senate was the conservative check. But 1t now happens that all of the political tornadoes in Congress are collected in the Senate. The House has no members who can be compared to LaFollette, Norris Brookhart, Magnus Johnson, or any of the dozen or so outspoken pro gressives. Furthermore, the freedom of debate in the Senate, and the ab- sence of gag rules, will give these men a chance, whereas they would be very much smothered in the cum bersome House.
 Power Of ProEressives Genuine.
 The power of the progressiVes in the Senate this session Is going to be genuine. They always have been ble to make their speeches, but not in years have they had such an op- portunity to make their blows tell.
 in the first place the Senate is closely divided. with only about ten votes difference between the repub- licans and democrats. The LaFol- lette bloc is large enough, therefore, to swing the Senate, assuming that the regulars of both parties are all voting normally.
 Then the progressives have the ad- vantage of ranking positions on ajor Senate committees where leg isIation is framed. Norris is chairman of the agricultural committee. which will advance measures for farm re- lief. LaFollette is second on the in terstate commerce committee, which deals with railroad affairs, and sec- oud on the finance committee, which drafts the tax and tariff measures. Both of these subjects are close to the progressive heart and are very n-uch in the foreground for the com ing session.
 Borah is chairman of the commit tee on education and labor, which deals with child welfare and other humanitarian measures. He is also second to Lodge on the foreign com mittee, and Is ranking member of the Judiciary committee, which will pass upon measures to curb the supreme court and prohibition legislation. Is High On Committees.
 Thus there is scarcely a major committee in which a progressive would not succeed to the chairman ship should the present chairman dle or be defeated for reelection.
 Right now there is fight going on which may place LaFollette, the foremost critic of the railroads, in charge of the interstate commerce. commission. Cummins of Iowa, is chairman, but he is also president pro tenn. of the Senate, and because of tee elevation of Coolidge to the White House, Cummins must perform the regular duties of the presiding officer of the Senate. Progressives object to allowing Cummins to hold both Of these important jobs.
 We don't care which one he chooses. but he can't have them both Senator Norris, nominal head Of the LaFollette bloc, has said. We are perfectly willing for him to pre- side over the Senate, but he must give up his committee chairmanship if he does"
 Regular republicans are puzzled tc know what to do. They are opposed to turning the interstate cNmmerce committee over to LaFollette. And they can't induce Cummins to give up the presiding officers chair. His personal inclination is to quit his committee. Railroad interests havo been friendly to Cummins and prefer hin. to LaFollette for obvious req sons.
 ProgTessives finding themselves in such an advantageous position re- garding the all-powerful Senate committees are making no threats and are politely insisting that they have no objection to the regulars or ganizinG the Senate with Cummins as presiding officer, Lodge as ma Jority leader, and Curtis as party whip.
 The committee assignments are the important things, they say
 Tine fides are hicher at tha enna-