Evening star., 1923-08-26
DEMOCRATS FIGHT
NEW ENGLAND GRIP
Cite Control Of Legislative,
Administrative and Judicial
: Branches of Government.
ny ROBERT U. SMALL.

Already it has become apparent
that one of the foundation stones OF
tho democratic campaign next year
will be laid upon the slogan: Turn
New England out"
During democratic control Of the
Congress there was much criticism
of the ascendancy of the. south IN
government. Nearly all of the I'M
portant committees of House and Sen
ate were presided over by southern
GERS men who had been in Congress
for great many years. and had won
their charmanships through the ap-
plication of the seniority rule.
Now the democrats claim that New
England is dominating the govern
meut and they believe that "A pro-
test against New England rule may
arouse a lot of enthusiasm in the
democratic south and the radical and
progressive west.
Tho republican leaders profess to
see no sort of peril in this latest
threat from the opposition which
has grown UP sine Calvin Coolidge
became the occupant of the White
Housc-the first New England man
in seventy years to attain the goal
or presidency. The democrats have
boasted that they could have carried
Massachusetts against Senator Lodge
in 1922 il they had made a little
more intensive campaign. The re
rublicans are asking how they can
hope to carry Massachusetts next
year on an anti-New Englandt plat
form.
Even before the hand of fate sent
. Mr.. Coolidge from the task of pre-
siding over the Senate to the higher
duty of presiding over the affairs of
the nation there had been a cry that
New England was monopolizing the
center of the stage in Washington.
Now, of course. the elevation of the
man from Massachusetts has lent
more emphasis than ever to the claim.
Cite Vast Control.
1t is claimed that New England,
with a total electoral vote one less
than that of New York alone, con-
trolls six OF the most important COM
mitteeS in the Senate.
Oddly enough. the students of sta
tistics have just discovered that
three other important Senate COM
mittees are under the chairmanships
OF three of the most sparsely settled
states of the west.
Massachusetts,, of course. buiks
particularly large in the government
Just now. with Mr.. Coolidge in the
White House, Mr.. Gillctt as Speaker
,"E the House of Representatives and
Mr.. Lodge as leader Of the Senate.
II is said that Mr.. Lodge could be
named as President pro tempore of
the Senate if he desired the honor.
hut the chances are that he will pre-
fer to retain his floor leadership and
the chairmauship Of the committee
on foreign relations.
Mr.. Chief Justice Taft. having been
appointed to the Supreme Court bench
from Connecticut, although born in
ohio, gives tho democrats the oppor-
tunity TO claim that New England
dominates all three OF the ConStitu-
on branches of the government.
executive, legislative and judicial.
Hold High Posts.
In the Senate not only is Mr..
Lodge floor leader and head OF the
foreign relations committee. but one
finds that the banking and currency
committee is presided over by SEN
ator Mclean of Connecticut. the i'm
migration committee by Senator Colt
Of Rhode Island. the judiciary COM
lnittee by Senator Brandegee of Con-
uccticut. the naval affairs committee
hy Senator Page of Vermont, and the
public buildings and ground commit
tee by Senator Fernald of Maine.
Through the seniority rule, Sen