Evening star., 1924-11-23
Warren Likely to Decline
Post to Continue Efficient
Work on Committee.
SENIORITY RULE FACES
UPSET IN CONFERENCE
G. o. P. Meeting Friday to Break
Custom in Giving Kansan
Lodges Place.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Senator Francis e. Warren of Wyo-
ming. senior Republican Senator in
point of service, will reIinquish his
claim upon the majority leadership o.
the Senate, IT is expected, and Senator
Charles Curtis of Kansas, assistant
leader and whip, will be chosen leader
at the Republican conference of the
Senate Friday.
The mere expression of q wish on
the part of Senator Warren to have
the leadership of the Republicans in
the Senate, made vacant by the death
of Senator Lodge of Massachusetts,
would assure the Senator from Wyo-
ming that office. In fact, unless Sena-
tor Warren should state that he has
no desire for the office, it would be
given him.
Warren StiIl Silent.
No statement from Senator Warren
in regard 10 the leadership probably
will be made before Tuesday or Wed
nesday. At that time it is expected
that he will make it clear he prefers
to give his whole time and attention
to the important work of chairman of
the Senate committee on appropria-
tions. For many years Senator War
rem has worked ably and efficiently
as chairman of this committee, han
ding many of the appropriation bills
in committee and on the floor of the
Senate. 1t has been his duty TO re-
siSt many items of appropriation
sought to be inserted in these bills,
and by his efforts to keep the appro-
priations down to the limits of abso-
lutte necessity, he has saved the Gov
ernment many millions of dollars.
But Senator Warren has also aided In
putting through appropriations for
needed and important projects which
have greatly benefited the country.
The three Senators whose names
have been most prominently men
toned in connection with the Repub-
lican leadership in the event Senator
Warren declined to be candidate for
election are Senator's Curtis of Kan
! sas, Wadsworth of New York and
! Watson of Indiana. Senator Watson.
| it is said. has given over the idea OF
becoming leader and will support
Senator Curtis for the place, with the
understanding, of course, that Senator
Warren is not desirous of holding the
office. :.
WadSworth Passive
Senator Wadsworth, while he has
had the support of a number of Sen
ators. has not been actively a candi-
believe that the New York Senator.
who is chairman of the military af-
! fairs committee, is rather Indifferent
to the matter of leadership. Senator
! Wadsworth is expected to return to
Washington Tuesday.
Republican Senators have for long
time chosen their leaders through the
seniority rule-picking the man who
| had been the longest in the Senate.
! Under this rule Senator Warren
would be the leader. The argument
/ has been advanced that he should
| take the leadership so as not to break
down the seniority rule. and so do
harm to. the aspirations of other Sen
ators who might, expect to become
Republican leader of the Senate in flu
| ture years.
A glance at the service record of
! the Senators shows that next to Sen
! ator Warren comes Senator Smoot of
| Utah and next to Senator Smoot, Sen
ator La Toilette. Then in the order
named comes Senator'S Borah, Idaho;
Cummins, Iowa; Jones. Washington:
Mclean, Connecticut: Norris, Nebras-
ka, and Curtis. Kansas.
Curtis Beaten in 1917.
Had it not been for the fact that
! Senator Curtis was defeated for the
| Z,
and, consequently, failed to be re-
elected to the Senate that year, the
! Kansas Senator would stand on the
| service record next to Senator La
| Toilette and ahead of Senator Borah
| Senator Curtis was out of the Senate
| for only two years, and was success
full in his race for nomination in
1914, by direct vote of the people and
was elected that year.
Senator Smoot, the second on the
| list is chairman of the Senate finance
committee; he is the ranking Repub-
lican on the appropriations commit
tee after Senator Warren, and is
| chairman of the Public Buildings
| Commission. With all the work he
| has on hand he has no ambition to
become leader. That the Republi-
cans would select Senator La Toilette
as their leader after the recent CAM
paign is unthinkable. even IL he would
/ accept the job. Senator Borah is
| slated to become chairman OF the
| committee on foreign relations. ans
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