Evening star., 1923-12-11
Situation Remains Unchang-
ed Without Election of In
terstate Commerce Head.
SMITH RUNNING TWO
VOTES BEHIND CUMMINS
Five Progressives and Two Farmer
Laborites Firm for
La Toilette.

The deadlock in the Senate over the
election OF chairman of the inter
state commerce committee continued
today.
Three ballots were taken without
an election. On motion of Senator
Lodge, the republican leader, the
Senate then went into executive ses-
sion to consider nominations
The ballots today showed the sit
uation unchanged. On the first
ballot Senator Cummins of Iowa re-
ceived forty-one votes. Senator
Smith of South Carolina, the demo
cratic nominee for chairman o. the
interstate commerce committee. re-
ceived thirty-nine and Senator La
Toilette Of Wisconsin received the
votes of five of the republican pro-
gressives and of the two farmer
labor senators.
The second ballot stood. Cummins
Al; Smith. 80; La Toilette, Z. The
La Toilette, z.
May BE Prolonged.
The contest over the election OF
chairman of the interstate commerce
committee may be prolonged. Orig
inally 1t started because the pro-
gressive republicans and the farmer
labor senators were unwilling that
Senator Cummins should be both
chairman of the interstate commerce
committee and President pro tempore
of the Senate. 1t developed today,
however, that some OF the republican
proGressives, II not all, are unwilling
to have Senator Cummins become
chairman of the committee on intrastate
commerce, the committee which Will
handle any railroad legislation. They
are willing that he should remain
President pro tempoFe of the Senate.
On the other hand. some of the
regular republicans are willing that
Senator Cummins should relinquish
the office of President pro tempore,
but insist that he should be chair
man of the interstate commerce com
mittee. They do not want Senator La
Toilette, who ranks next to Senator
Cummins on the interstate commerce
committee, to be chairman of that
committee
In the meantime Senator Cummins
is standing pat, presiding over the
Senate as President pro tempore. A
question has, however. been raised to
his right to a seat on the interstate
commerce committee, pending the ac-
ton of the Senate. All the other
members of the committee were
elected yesterday by the Senate.
Firm Against Cummins.
Progressive republicans opposing
Senator Cummins for chairmanship
OF the interstate commerce commit
tee insist that the people of their
states are against the Esch- Cummins
transportation act, and that in OPP
posing Senator Cummins as chairman
of the interstate commerce commit
tee they are carrying out the man
date of their people. Some OF them
today insisted they would never vote
for Senator Cummins as chairman of
the committee.
If the democrats continue solidly to
vote for Smith of South Carolina and
position to Senator Cummins as
chairman it does not appear that he
can be elected to that Office.
Those republicans who would be
willing to compromise the fight by
having Senator Cummins relinQuish
the office of President pro tempore
and remain chairman of the inter
state commerce committee said today
that Senator Curtis of Kansas would
be the selection for President pro
tempore II Senator Cummins is not
to have the place.
A suggestion was made that 1t might
be possible to bring about an adjust
ment of the controversy by the cleo
ton of some other republican sena-
tor as chairman Of the interstate
commerce committee, other than
Senator La Toilette. The progressives,
however, conend that Senator La Fol-
lette is entitled to the Office of chair
man under the seniority rule.