The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-23
IN
PIVO Al
STATES
Orators to Be Diverted From
Coolidge Congress Major
ity IS Really a Minority.
By GLADSTONE WILLIAMS,
COamonolitar Ne,vn sarvics.

By GLADSTONE WILLIAMS, {
Cosmopolitan News Service.
Convinced that progressive dom
1nation Of the Senate will continue
in the next Congress, conservative
Republican leaders are turning
their attention to the House and
are today planning = concerted
drive to recapture the actual, as
against the nominal, control Of
that body.
An intensive campaign will be
waged to return regular Repub-
hcan Congressman in those piv-
otal States where Democrats made
great inrOads at the last national
election. Such States as Ohio,
Indiana, New York, and Missouri,
for example. In those four States
alone the Republicans lost thirty
two seats in the lower House dur
ing the last election.
Majority Only on Paper.
In many respects the political
battle to regain lost pivotal terri
tory, with respect to representation
in. the House, promises to over.
shadow the Senatorial elections,
which hitherto have commanded
primary interest.
The party's chief orators. the
most persuasive habitues Of tho
hastings. are expected to be divert
ed from the Presidential end of
the campaign long enough to in
wade Congressional districts now
held by Democrats.
While the Republicans have a
nominal or paper majority in both
branches OF Congress, reduced to
its proper meaning they have an
actual minority.
This has been clearly demonstrate
ed in the lower body upon at least
three separate occasions first, when
progressives, insurgents and inde-
pendents deadlocked the speaker
ship election for several days; Sec
Ond, during the initial discussion
of the revenue bill when they
caused the Democratic tax plan 20
be substituted for the Mellon plan,
and third, when they united with
Democrats in the contest to unseat
Congressman Sol Bloom, of New
York. Senate progressiyeS gave a
similar demonstration in the con-
test over the Interstate Commerce
Committee Craftsmanship, resulting
in the election of Democrat, Sen
ator Smith. of South Carolina.
Bloc Holds Balance.
AS between the two major
parties, the House stands 225 to
206, the residue being made UP IF
one Farm-Laborite, one Socialist,
one Independent, with one vacancy.
Among the 225 Republicans are
something like fifteen progressivesy
or insurgents, forming the balance
of power and reducing the nominal
Republican majority to an actual
minority, when, as often happens,
they throw their strength into the
balance against the regular party
leadership.
Thus the whole Republican drive
will revolve around the efforts to
capture enough presently Demo-
cratic districts to offset these ,.fif-
teen progressive votes, in addition
to holding their present member
ship.
Control Of the Senate in the next
Congress is only a remote POSSIBLE
ity, conservative Republicans priv.
ately admit, and, they argue, re-
CARELESS Of tho outcome Of the Presi-
dental election, IL the party is to
have an agency for presenting its
Legislative program it must con-
centrate on the House.
Senate Situation Hopeless.
The hopelessness of the Senatorial
situation Is explained by the elec-
ton of only one-third of the mem
bership OF that body this year,
with Democrats occupying the
strategic position Of being forced to
contest a cmaller number of seats
than their Republican opponents.
Moreover, out Of fourteen Demo.
cratic vacancies ten arise in rock
ribbed Democratic States of the
South, while another vacancy
occurs IN Montana, where Senator
Thomas ]. Walsh, Of Teapot Dome
fame, is conceded to be the favor.
ite.
On the ether hand, out Of seven
teen Republican vacancies eight are
in doubtful territory, and five Of
the nino in reasonably certain ter.
ritory arise from the expiration
OF terms of such independent ana
progressive Senators as Borah,
Norris, Brookhart, Capper and Nc.
Nary. S