The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-12-03
CONGRESSF AGES
H0T RULES
FIGHT
Democrats Shy at Overtures
Made by Progressives DO
Not Want Control.
CONTINUED from First Page.l

between regular Republican leaders
and regular Democratic leaders as
to what to do about the ''progres-
sive menace"
1t is temporarily pretty well I'M
| derstood between them that the
Democrats win not permit any Dem
ocrat to be elected Speaker.
Favor Rule Revision.
AS part Of this understanding the
Democrats would like the Repub1i-
cans to consent to q certain amount
| of revision Of the rules Of the House
in the matter or the passage OF Leg
islation. and particularly in the mat,
ter Of the passage Of taxation legis-
Iation.
The whole fight IN the House is
conferred really on the rules and on
the Rules Committee, and the Inn
mediate inside core of that fight is
the desire on the part Of the Repub-
sicafl 'pr0gressives" and on the mart
! Of the Democrats to be able to offer
| amendments to the Mellon taxation
PRODUCTION plan when 1t comes to the
floor Of the House In form OF q
Irregular Republican legislative meas.
lure.
The oddly and the irony Of the
4
now makes it peculiarly difficult to
4 offer amendents to a taxation bill
] was put into force by the Demo-
i Gratis when the Democrats wanted
to push the Underwood tariff bill
1 through the House without undue
debate. Now the Democrats would
/ like to relax this rule in order to
be able to an1ehd the prospective
taxation bill Of the Republicans in
this approaching session.
Threat BY Democrats.
| TO gain this point they are nego.
tiating with the regular Republi-
cans, and they are Implying that If
they fail to win 1t from the regular
Republicans they win be able tn
win It through uniting with the
Republican "progressives'' at the
time when the House of Represen.
tatives proceeds to adopt its general
rules for this session.
Meanwhile the Republican PRO,
gressives' are seeking a much more
drastic revision OF the rules than
Is sought by the Democrats. The
Democrats, according to an aps
statement made to this writer BY
one of their most distinguished md
outstanding leaders, would like ia
revise the rules far enough to pro.
duce liberality but not far enough
to produce pandemonilIrn. /"
Ine Democrats hope to contro
the next House and they do moi
want to adopt any rules which in
the next House would check them
TOO much in quickly and effectively
passing their own legislation.
The Republican 'progressives'
ana the Democrats therefore are
working from two rather. different
points OF view. The Republican
progressives" want to open the
rules wide open, and the Demo
Gratis want to open them some
but not 'too much"
Fear Battle Over Speaker.
The Republican "progressives'
TO-DAY, In the House of Represen
tatlVes, unless the House imme
dlateiy adJourns in honor and mem
DRY of President Harding and OF
recently deceased Representatives
VIII In all probability, bring the
business or the House to tern
porary standstill by voting for
Congressman Cooper of WISCONSIN
for Speaker.
There then will be no majority
for anybody for Speaker; and after
one ballot or many ballots, the
House will adjourn in order to
enable Floor Leader Longworth
OF the regular Republicans and
Leader Nelson of the Progressive
Republicans and Leader Garrett u
the democrats to enter into trt
angular negotiations,
1t is believed that Longworth
may make some concessions to
Garrett in the matter of certain
general rules; but at the present
moment it is confidently and safely
believed that Longworth will abso-
lutely insist upon it that a majority
or the members of the Rules Com.
1nlttee, which brings in the specific
rules regarding specific legislation,
must ne safe conservative regular
Republicans.
ut Is generally thought that after
the Republican ''progressives" have
MADE good strong demonstration
III oeIense OF their complete prin
clples, the House will ultimately
: settle down to business with some
revision or the general rules and
with the regular Republicans cling
ing 10 majority of the Rules Com
mittee.
In the Senate the rules are al
ready extremely liberal What thu
republican ''progressives" in thu
senate want Is simply a gentle
mems agreement. between all fac
IONS. that when, for instance, thu
Mellon taxation reduction plan get
10 the Senate, the progressive
substitute for IL will be allowec
without filibuster 10 come to al
open vote and recorded call
Hopes Of the liberals.
railing TO get ThIs gentlemen
agreement" the Penatorial ''proR
ressives" hope 20 be able 20 brinl