Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1923-12-04
FINISH FIGHT SEEN
IN C0NGnESS WAR
Is Threatened Following
Blocking 68th Congress Or
ganization Yesterday

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4.-The in
surgent bloc in the House, which has
tied the hands of the new congress
by refusing to support Speaker Gill
lett for reelection, militantly car
ried forward today its campaign of
opposition.
As bal1ot1ng in the speakership
deadlock continued, the division OF
votes was much the same as during
the fCnr futile ballots taken yes
terday. There were many rumors
of compromise, but the insurgent
leaders met all inquiries by a declar-
alton that they were as far as ever
from surrendering.
Speaker Gillett, THE Republican
choice, and Representative Garrett
OF Tennessee, endorsed by the DEM
ocrats, We're almost on an equality
in today's voting, and the total for
each remained about ten votes short
of the majority necessary to elect.
The bulk of the insurgent strength
was cast as on yesterday for Repre-
sentative Cooper of Wisconsin.
Meantime the senate, whose lead
ers maintain it can only meet and
adjourn until the House has per-
fected its organization, held a brief
session at which there was no at
tempt to transact business. Ad-
journment was taken Immediately
after the opening prayer, and with
out even a roll call to develop
whether a quorum was present
Senate leaders on both the ma
jority and minority sides, however,
were busy with assignments of SEN
ators 70 the standing committees
and with preparations for the fight
for senate reorganization, which is
to come after President Coolidge has
delivered his first, annual speech.
Whether the President can carry out
his plan of appearing at a joint ses-
sion tomorrow also is contingent on
break in the deadlock in the
House.
The leader of the Republican
House organization have taken the
position that they cannot consistent
ly discuss a compromise with the in
surgent bloc as such, although they
listen to individual requests for
changes in committee assignments
and in rules-the two points on
which the insurgents have focused
their attack.
Although most of the Republican
votes lost by Gillett were given to
Cooper, a small contingent contin-
ued today to vote for Representa-
tive Madden, of Illinois, who has
announced he does not want to be
speaker and whose own vote was
cast consistently for Gillett.
Ha,v-::SS blocked the reelection OF
Speaker Gillett on four ballots, the
Progressive bloc after a conference
last night announced formally that
it would renew its battle with the
convening of the House at noon to-
day and wage it indefinitely unless
Republican organization leaders
gave assurance that the House would
have full opportunity to vote on
amendments to its rules.
With Representative Longworth,
of Ohio, the Republican leader Show
ing no disposition to yield, members
of the House were prepared for an
other day of futile balloting. Lead
ers of the Republican factions and
of the Democrats, who yesterday
voted as a unit for Representative
Garrett, of Tennessee, for speaker,
again were marshalling their forces
for renewal of the conflict.
Meantime the senate was ready TO
proceed to business, but was unable
to do so because of the deadlock in
the House, which had the added ef-
feet of a possible indefinite post
ponement of the delivery to congress
of President Coolidge's first annual
message. The President had planned
to address congress in person tomor-
row.
To pass the bonus bill in the SEN
ate will require only a majority of
those present. To override a possi-
bic veto by President Coolidge will
take two-thirds (64 votes), and the
American Legion claims to have ~
votes pledged and names the mem
bers. This margin of eight votes
seems more than sufficient to take
care of two or three senators who
might switch at the last moment on
account of some unexpected objec-
tionable feature of the bonus bill.
The Legion officials are not seri-
ously concerned about the outcome
in the House, claiming that the vote
there will be four or five to one for
the bill.