Evening star., 1923-11-30
AdhereS Firmly to Program
for "History-Making
Changes" in Rules.
CLAIMS BACKING OF LABOR
VETERANS AND WOMEN
Conservative Leaders Admit Some
Revision Probably Will
Be Conceded.

Despite strong rumors about the
Capitol today that the progressive
group and the conservative majority
in the House were about to compro-
mise their differences, in the interests
of party organization, no such settle
ment was admitted by the progressive
group after long conference today.
The program as drafted by the ex-
ecutive committee was presented to
the conference by Representative
John NJ. Nelson of Wisconsin, chair
man of the group, covering four
phases Of organization and legislative
activity-revision of the rules, per-
sonnel of committees, House officers
and legislation.
1t was said by conservative leaders
today that no definite promises will
be made to the progressives in ad-
vance of the republican party caucus
tomorrow afternoon, other than that
of "a square deal" 1t is admitted by
conservative leaders that there prob
ably Will be some revision of the
rules and that progre ssives will be
treated fairly in the ALLEGATION of
committee assignments.
Agreement Denied.
Leaders in the movement reiter-
ated that no agreement had been
reached, or is likely, for members of
the group to center it's vote solidly
for some one candidate other than
Representative Gillette, 1t being the
sense that each should vote for whom
he pleased.
Predictions that the election of the
Massachusetts representative on the
first ballot Monday could be pre-
vented, they said, were based on the
assumption that the democrats would
vote as a unit for Representative
Garrett of Tennessee, and that with
out the support of the progressive
group Mr.. Gillett would fail of a ma
jority.
I'VE intend to show" said one of
the progressives. that we are not
bluffing. The fight over the speaker
ship will be nothing compared to the
stand we will take later for liberali-
zation OF House rules and commit
tees"
Progressives, it was declared, will
attend the republican conference to-
morrow, at which organization plans
will be laid. They expect to state
their position, refuse to be bound by
the decision of the conference and
leave themselves free to vote for any
candidate for Speaker they see fit. A
nuIHDeT OF Wisconsin pTORTeSSlVeS
had announced their intention of sup
porting Representative Cooper of
Wisconsin, one of the veterans of the
House.
May Delay Organization.
| House members supporting Mr.. Gill
| lett for Speaker and Representative
! Longworth Ohio, for republican leader
generally were of the view today that
the progressives might succeed in de-
\ laying House organization. Some, how
ever, were of the opinion they would be
unable TO corral and hold sufficient votes
to prevent Mr.. Gillett from finally OBJ
tanning a majority.
| 1t was generally admitted by both
| progressive and regular republicans
| that the conference tomorrow would
not attempt to pass upon the attempt
| for modification of rules. One sug-
geSion made by the organization
/ group was that the whole matter, to-
gether with other proposals for
| changes in committees. be referred to
! the republican members of the rules
| committee for investigation and re-
port TO a later conference.
Progressivcs assert that whatever
decision was reached to defer action
| on their demands they would show
their strength at the outset of the
session by swinging their votes away
from Mr.. Gillett.
In a statement to the progressive
conference Mr. Nelson said today:
I'm behalf of the executive commit
tee hearty welcome is extended to
every progressive in this conference.
To all new members congratulations
are due not only for the reasons that
you have a part in the progressive
wing of the republican party, which
at any time is a badge of true Ameri-
canism, but particularly now when
the independent progressive group
has been intrusted by the sovereign
citizenship of America with the un-
disputed possession of the balance of
legislative power in the Congress of
the United States Every true, up
day commands public attention"
Sees History I'm Making.
Representative Nelson told the con-
ference I'VE are about to make his
tory" w. couraesous,v removs the
more notorious parliamentary abuses
and liberalize stacked house commit
tees,"~he said, 1.-The way will be open
for all of us to prepare and champion
on the floor of Congress constructive
legislation advocated before our con-
stituents and demanded by the people
of our country for their protection.
Representative Nelson said the pur-
pose of the conference was to give
progressives the opportunity TO know
ment progressive forces into a har
monious fellowship.
Representative Nelson said that the
executive committee consulting with
individual progressives, sought to
work out the definite program of
legislation which Is truly progress
sive and not the kind Of "con-
structive progressive program" re-
ferred to by the next conservative
leader, Mr.. Longworth.
The program presented by the exec
utiye committee consists of four
parts (a) revision of the rules, OBJ
personnel of committees, (c) House
officers, (d) legislation.
Labor Backs Progressives
"Organized labor is with u.s." said
Representative Nelson; so are the
organized farmers. The great mass of
consumers look to US for help. The
soldiers of the war know we are their
real friends. The women Of the coun-
/ try look to us to champion the rights
| of children and women. The common
people are looking to US for protec-
| ton against the whole war burden
being thrown upon their already
overburdened backs"
| A number of the republican leaders
| gathered in the office of Senator
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