Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-11-20
WHO WILL Be THE
SPEAKER OF NEXT
HOUSE IS PUZZLE:
Madden, Longsworth and Bur-
ton Are Avowed Candidates,
With Probably Others
BY HARRY B. HUNT
NEA Service Writer

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19.--Chi
cago's right to the title of 9Th,
Windy City, may have a new ex.
PLANTATION when the new Congress is
organized, if Martin 3. Madden, tue
white-haired legislator from the Hi,
nois metropolis, wins his fight for
the speakership of the House, whicl,
Is to be vacated by the promotion
of Frederick Gillett to the Senate
With Charley Dawes presiding
ever the deliberations of the Sen
ate and Madden welding the
gavel on the House side, Chicago
certainly would be sitting at ide
Congress.
There will have to be deal of
maneuvering, however, before this
is accomplished. Already Madden is
assured of two rivals for the sea-
at the head of the House.
Nick Longworth of Cincinnati,
as bald as Madden is gray, would
like to succeed Gillett. Like Mad
den, Nick has served 20 years in
the House and would like to be
promoted.
AS floor leader of the Republican
rear-majority in the present Con-
gress Nick has proved himself a
clever tactician in legislative man
euvering. And that is one of the
essential qualifications for q
speaker.
AS an initiator of new legisla-
ton and as an advocate of meas
ures on the floor of the House
Madden has been much more az
tive and influential than Long
worth.
Nick isn't an orator and knows
it. His most effective speeches
are made in cloak rooms and in
quiet conferences.
+
No sooner had the Madden-Long-
worth forces begun to line up. how
ever, than that veteran legislator
from Cuyahoga county, Ohio, Theo-
Gore E. Burton, intimate d that re
was being besought by many mem
bers to shy his hat into tie speaker
ship ring and make it three-sided
fight.
In addition to having served in
the House as long as either Mad
den or Longworth, Burton has be-
hind him a record of six years in
the Senate.
There is suggestion that the
73-year-old bachelor from Cleve-
land has the sanction of President
in his announced aspira-
ton to the speakership, though
of course the executive will use no
direct pressure in trying to get at
the helm in the House a man of
his choice.
That Burton was The Coolidge
choice for keynote speaker at the
cleveland convention last Jure.
however, is regarded as indicating
the way the presidential favor
lies.
Behind the scenes in this
speakership fight, however, a wo-
man play the deciding cole.
The political ability and influence
of Mrs. Longworth-formerly Alice
brought TO bear in
behalf of her husband may prove
the deciding factor.
princess Alice" as she is still
known to her intimates, is credited
with having one of the cleverest
political minds the capital ever
knew, and with knowing just how
to 'put across" the caGraigns in
which she is interested.
If she aspires to be "Mrs.
Speaker" and to see Nick's bald
dome shining above the dais Of
the speakers platform, her friends
are willing to wager that she will
be it and Nick will be there.
These same folks, however, ques-
ton whether Mrs Iongworth is
anxious for hubby to win
the speakership.
The wife of the speaker is al
ways expected to follow a certain
rather cut-and-dried social sched-
ule. And princess Alice, who
has always been something Of a
social "rebel," might net care to
conform to what precedent has es-
tablished as the proper thing fer
the speakers wife to do.
This social Independence, whieh