The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-01
new SENATORS
ARE BLASTING
TRADITION
Seniors Defled First Time in
History Of Worlds Most
Exclusive Club.
BY GEORGE HOLMES.
international News Service.


biddingly In the pathway Of new
members Of the Senate and block
their progress toward achievement
and recognition in the early days
Of their service-are now stagger-
ing around groggy and gaspinx for
breath, in the Sixty.eighth Con.
gress.
A complete knockout seems not
far distant. And that ID picture
that brings tears to the eyes OF the
elders and convulsive clutches at
boards grown gray in the Most Elk.
elusive Club in the World. LOUD
are the lamentations ana ahrtn are
the protests.
Time was. and not far distant
either. when q new Senator was
purely an ornament around the
Capitol for the first few years OF
his service. New Senators, like col.
lege freshmen, were to be seen ana
not heard, and attractions Of this
rule were met with hazing from
the old 'uns that was so rigorous
and effective as that Of any fresh
water college.
AIC0bA1lOuO va AOWOAUA0
There is still recalled, with evi.
dent relish by the veterans OF the
Senate, the i1azing that was ad.
ministered to o young Senator from
Indiana some years ago--one Albert
J. Beveridge, who, being Young
had come to Washington filled with
ambition, fire, and a zeal for pubic
service. He was impatient under
~.4a4r.0ink0 fV1annSAA nn0n
q new member by the elders then
in the saddle.
Beveridge had one subject with
which he was particularly familiar
the Philippines. He had made q
somewhat extensive study OF con-
ditions there and felt himself
equipped to talk about 1t. He rose
in the Senate one day when a
piece oh Philippine legislation was
pending/and delivered himself of
speech that stands even today as
one of the finest ever heard on the
subject.
Before he had been speaking ten
minutes the leaders got up and left
the floor. Others followed. and
then still others, and finally the
burning young solon. from Indiana
found himself addressing a lot OF
empty seats and a handful Of PEG.
pie in the galleries. 1t was the
upper classmen hazing a freshman.
Beveridge turned brick-red. He
stuck it out. but the scars OF that
hazing remained until the end or
his service.
New Ones In Saddle.
Those days are gone-whether
forever remains to be seen.
The United States Senate today
IL being run, at least from the
spotlight standpoint, by q number
Of senatorial freshmen who stub
bornly refuse to abide by any,
hoary tradition or precedent. They
are getting away with it in sur
prising fashion.
There is Senator Burton Kendall
Wheeler. for instance. His name
stands at the bottom Of the serv-
ice list in the Senate. A senate
rial fledgling not yet a year old
and he has turned the Senate
topsy-turvy-is conducting what is
perhaps the most sensational SEN
atorial investigation ever held. and
talks when he feels like 1t, on the
floor or off.
When the Daugherty's investiga.
tiVn was being considered, Wheeler
bodily demanded the right to pick
the committee. And he did It.
Whether the Republican leaders
were paralyzed by the sheer bold
ness Of it and thus didn't stop him,
probably never will be known. At
any rate. he got away with 1t.
Then there is Senator James
Couzens, (Rep), Of Michigan, an.
other newcomer. Couzens is bel
ligerent in many respects. He was
In business with Henry Ford for
years. acquired wealth and execu.
tive experience. and is used to do.
ing things directly. without con.
sulting tradition and precedent.
Picked Fight with Mellon.
Senator Couzens picked O.. fight
with Andrew w. Mellon some
time ago, and for weeks their epis.
tolary warfare over who paid the
most income taxes-they are two
, of the richest men in the country
interested and amused the public.
Finally CouzenS started an investi-
cation of Melons department, aim
ing at the Bureau of Internal Reeve.
nue., which collects the taxes. He
Is on the committee and Is it's chief
prosecutor" He talks, too, when
he has something to say, on the
floor or off.
Then there is Smith Wildnan
Brookhart (Rep) of Iowa. He came
to Washington prepared to tell Con.
gress and the country a.plenty, and
he has been doing it ever since.
He has been active in every sort of
agricultural legislation, has fought
the Administration whenever it
Oleased him which was rouoro liz,
and he has told the world at every
opportunity that the country is go.
ing to perdition in a hack unless II
does something for the farmers of
the West, who produce the food.
There IL Edwin F.. Ladd, the
scholarly looking little progressive
from North Dakota, whose election
caused terrible tremors to chase up
: and down the spines Of the regulars
In his party at the time. They had
heard Of his radical leanings'' and
were duly fearful.
Ladd has sawed wood somewhat
quietly, but today he is chairman
of the Senate Committee on Public
Lands. one of the most important
In Congress-, and one that is now
winding up the great oil invest IRA.
ton.
There are plenty OF others. both
Democratic and Republican fresh.
men, who have taken the bit in
their teeth and figuratively ran
away with the Senate Of the Sixty.
eighth Congress.
There is Dill, Of Washington. for
instance. He is a Democrat. Te
has been an able lieutenant OF
Wheelar'a in aiIahtnp fha anonAoI