Evening star., 1924-11-28
Brookhart, Frazier and Ladd
Also Barred From New
Committee Posts and
Republican Councils.
PRESENT ASSIGNMENTS
WILL NOT BE CHANGED
Curtis Elected Leader at Meeting
When Warren Declines to Accept
Place Vacated by Lodge Death;
80 Attend the Gathering; 10
Are Absent.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


Declaring war on Senator La Fol-
lette and three other insurgent Re-
publican Senator's who supported
La Toilette for President, the Re-
publican senatorial conference today
adopted resolution virtually read
ing them out of the Republican
party.
The other Senators named in the
resolution were Brookhart of Iowa
and Ladd and Frazier of North Da-
kota.
The resolution adopted by the Re-
publican conference came as a sur
prise. Senators high in the party
councils had expressed the opinion
that no move would be made to deal
with the insurgents at this time.
Reed Author of Move.
But Senators Edge of New Jersey,
Reed of Pennsylvania and Ernst of
Kentucky forced the fighting. 1t was
Senator Reeds resolution that was
finally adopted. 1t reads:
Resolved, That it is the sense of
the conference that Senators La Fol-
let, Ladd, Brookhart and Frazier be
not invited to future Republican con-
ferences, and be not named to fill
any Republican vacanieS in Senate
committees"
In a measure, the resolution is n
compromise, since it does not seek
10 remove these Senators from COM
mittee assignments now held by them
as Republicans. Any motions to re-
move them from committees now
would have to be voted upon in the
Senate itself, and would not carry, 1t
was pointed out. This further effort
at disciplining the insurgents may be
made in the next Congress.
DissentiOn is Seen.
The action of the Republican con-
ference today, it was declared by
some Republican Senators not in
cluded in the "black list of four,
would stir up dssension In Republi-
can ranks that may cause difficulties
in the future. With a margin of con-
7rol in the present Senate that van
ishes when the insurgents choose to
vote with the Democrats and a mar
gin Of control in the next Senate that
is barely workable, it was pointed
out, the determination to act against
the progressiveS may prove a boone
rang. 1t is known that Senator Borah
of Idaho, slated to be chairman of the
foreign relations committee; Senator
Norris of Nebraska, chairman of the
committee on agriculture, and other
Senators from the West, have been
strongly opposed to such action as
that taken today. Neither Borah nor
Norris were in attendance at the con-
ference today.
Senator Ladd was the only one of
the insurgent four named in the reso-
luton who attended the conference
today. He did not enter into the de-
bate. Nor would he comment later at
his office on the conference action.
Majority Decisive.
The Reed resolution was adopted
by a viva voce vote. 1t was said
later that very few" voted no"
The question of disciplining Senator
la Toilette and the other insurgents
was brought before the conference by
Senator Edge of New Jersey and was
quickly followed by the presentation
of a resolution by Senator Spencer of
Missouri proposing that a committee
be named to consider ways and
means cf dealing with the insurgents
Then Senator Reeds definite proposal
was put in resolution form, and the
debate ragged about for a time. No
speeches were directly in opposition"
u,
the view was expressed that it might
not be we'll to go ahead with the mat
ter now. Senator Howell was one ex-
pressing such views. But those bent
on Furnishing the La FclIetteites were
clearly in the majority, and the mat
ter was pushed through. Senator
Harreld of Oklahoma suggested the
resolution be modified so as to name
only La Toilette, but his motion was
lost
Senator La Toilette, by reason of
his long service. is second in the Re-
publican lists on the important
finance committee and the committee
on interstate commerce. Ordinarily.
should a vacancy occur in the chair
,nanship of either of these commit
tees, the second man would step into
the committee leadership
To Keep Present Post.
Under the resolution adopted to-
day, however. La Toilette would be
overlooked for such advancement
aud the Republican committee on
committees would select a man below
La Toilette on the list for chairman
The Wisconsin Senator is chairman
of the committee on manufactures
But under the resolution no attempt
will be made now to dislodge him
from that Craftsmanship or any Of his
present committee assignments.
The Republican conference, which
was attended by "a of the Republi-
can Senators, with II absent, ran true
to expected form when 1t elected
Senator Charles Curtis of Kansas
chairman, which carries with 1t the
Republican leadership of the Senate
Senator Warren of Wyoming, who
under the seniority rule. was en-
titled to election as leader. took the
chair as senior Republican Senator
after the meeting had been called to
order by Senator Curtis, assistant
leader and whip. Senator Warren an
nounced that he would not be can
didate for leader and asked that the
Senators refrain from voting for him.
His desire is to devote all his time
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