The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1923-12-20
SENATOR LAFOLLETTE
STARTS FIREWORKS
RADICALS PREVENTED COM
PLETE ORGANIZATION OF
CONGRESS LAST WEEK
BILLS ARE NUMEROUS
ATTEMPT TO BE MADE TO REG
ULATE MARRIAGE AND d.
VORcE LAWS
By WILLIAM L. DALEY
National Editorial Association
Special to Sank Centre Herald

National Editorial Association
Special to Sank Centre Herald
Washington, Dec. Ex-senator
Robert LaFollette of Wisconsin, and
his little band of insurgents have
projected themselves into the lime
light by parliamentary methods which
prevent the complete organization of
the Congress. It is not party ques-
ton but controversy to determine
whether party or clique shall control
the destinies of the national law-mak-
ing body. The struggle for supremacy
in legislative matters has now reached
a stage where some members of the
minority are openly assisting the ma
jority, their political foes, in a coali-
ton to preserve the party system
aginst "boring from within" which
would leave it's mark on Democrats
and Republicans alike. With the
Senate at odds over the craftsmanship
of the Interstate Commerce Commit
tee and the socaled insurgents in the
House threatening another bolt, little
hope is held out for legislation until
the holiday recess.
It is the ambition, of LaFollette,
the STORMY petrol" of politics, to
succeed to the craftsmanship of the
II. C.. c.. committee which would be
vacted by Senator Cummins, who
is presiding officer of the Senate in
the absence of the Vice President
Party leaders, knowing the Wisconsin
Senator's views on railroad matters,
are fearful of the consequences. AS
a result, they are opposed to LaFol-
! fette as chairman because Of the pow
er it would give him over regulatory
legislation. Cummins wants to retain
the two jobs but the small group of
LaFollette sympathizers in the Senate
possess a sufficient number of votes
to make the balloting futile with the
Democrats holding their lines intact.
There have been some changes in the
minority lineup as certain Democrat
ic Senators share the concern of their
Republican associates as to the pros
poets if LaFollette wins.
In statement of his views Senator
LaFollette declared that ''the real is
sue at stake in Congress today is
whether or not the Progressives are
to be given the right to present the
measures they are pledged to support,
and to obtain for them fair consid-
Grafton, on their merits" He insists
that the "reactionaries of both parties
are in conspiracy to gag the Con-
gress and crush the Progressive group
by the force of superior number. )"
And, accordingly, the leader of the
clique claiming a special mandate
: from the people, calls upon his fer
low apostles of legislative reform
Ito use every power at his command
to attain this goal"
There has been a pIentitude of leg
islative measures introduced in the
House and Senate despite the lack
of organization. The numerous pc
tons dealing with every subject of in
terest to local communities have beea
filed with the appropriate committees,
but will probably never be read, due
to the urgency of other affairs. The
principal measure submitted to the
Senate during the week was the bonus
bill, sponsored by Senator Curtis, Re
publican of Kansas. The President
is opposed to the proposition. The
measure is along the same lines as the
adjusted compensation bill which was
vetoed by the late President Hard
ing. Several members of Congress
proposed amendments to the Consti-
tuition. Mr.. Baker of California, Of
fered joint resolution which would
make children born in the United
States of foreign parentage, inelig-
ible to citizenship unless both
parents are eligible to become citi-
zens. Senator Borah, Republican of
Idaho, offered a bill amending the
Transportation act to prohibit a
greater charge for short than q
long haul by railroad. Senator King.
Democrat of Utah wants a federal in
vestigation of stock exchanges, brot-
erage houses aii bucketshops.
D.
4 Considerable attention is given "a
laws relating to marriage and divorce.
The principal measures include bin
introduced by Senator Capper, Re-
publican, of Kansas, to provide for
uniform regulation. There have
been many protests against the Lar
| regulations in several states and the
Capper bill is intended to supply uni
form regulation for all states.