The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-11-24
REGULARS JOCKEY
PROGRESSIVES FOR
CONTROL IN HOUSE
Democrats Watch DiSSenSion
Watson May Run for
President.
By Times SpI

BR Times Special
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24.-Is half
a loaf worth having?
That is a question Republican lead
ers in the House of Representative
have been trying all week to answer.
Would it be wiser to yield to the Pro-
gressives in perfecting the House or
ganization, or to ride rough-shOd
over the claims of all but regulars?
This is what the regulars would
like:
Selection OF Frederick H. Gillette,
Republican, Massachusetts,. as Speak
er of the House, and Nicholas Long
worth. Republican. Ohio, as party
floor leader.
In addition they would relish I'M
hampered control OF such importna
committees as Ways and Means,
rules, Banking, and Interstate Com
merce.
The Progressives demand:
Selection Of William J. Graham. Re
publican, Illinois, as floor leader. and
strong representation on all commit
tees into whose control viii fall the
important economic measures.
The La Toilette progressiyes would
much prefer Henry 4. Cooper, Re
publican, Wisconsin. to Graham as
floor leader, but would probably accept
the latter as satisfactory under the
circumstances.
House Makeup Determined
The makeup OF the House, and thus
indirectly the nature Of all the leg
islation 1t will attempt to enact is now
being determined. Control Of the party
floor leadership would enable the
regulars to head of progressive legis-
latiOR. That It would enable them to
put through their own type Of legisIa-
ton is another question. If they carry
their demonstration too far, they fear
the La Toilette progressives may be
found with the Democrats the
Democrats oppose reaction.
Representatives Of sixteen railroad
workers organizations in conference
considered their stand on legislation
affecting farmers and Industrial work
ers. They denounced as absolutely
false statements given out in Big
Business" newspapers that the rail
way workers had decided to abandon
all efforts to cooperate with the farm
ers in obtaining enactment OF pro-
gressive legislation A resolution was
adopted N favor Of the continuation
OF all possible cooperation with the
progressives in the next Congress.
Bonus or Tax Reduction
Bonus or tax reduction?
II somebody would only solve the
riddle of lower taxes and the bonus.
too, much loss Of sleep would be pre-
vented members OF Congress. in
whose minds the questions apparently
are hopelessly tangled.
Maybe reminder to Europe that
it owes US money would help. At
least Senator Smoot Republican,.
Utah, thinks such a note, nicely
worded by the State Department.
should be sent. Three members of the
debt funding commission, Secretaries
Hughes. Mellon and Hoover, are op-
posed 10 have Uncle Sam assume the
role Of hard-boiled bill collector.
So even II Representative Burton
(RepubL cam, Ohio, the fifth member.
should favor the idea the vote would
be three to two against.
II against Hiram johnson. I
don't know if 7 am for myself or for
Coolidge" That is the substance Of
utterances by Senator Watson IRE
publican), Ind. on the presidential
situation.
Watson May Run.
Watson viii run against johnson in
the Indiana primaries, If he thinks
that the best way TO keep the dele
gates from the Californian. he says.
Senator JOhnson's arrival in the
capital failed to produce an announce
ment of his candidacy from President
Coolidge. The latter's supporters
want him to come right out and adj
NIT he wants the job again, and to
get into all the primaries.
Democrats contented themselves
this week with watching the growing
dissension in Republican ranks and
observing at a safe distance the ef-
forts Of Bosses Murphy, Taggart and
Brennan to find q way of heading off
McAdoo's booming boom.
The veterans bureau slipped off the
front page into secret executive SEES
sions.
Department Of Justice is expected to
enter shortly with criminal activities
against former bureau officials. Vet
Grams organizations are now engaged
in drawing up, both with and without
the aid of the Senate investigating
committee. remedial legislation to be
introduced as soon as Congress as
sembles.