Evening star., 1924-11-29
Senate House Cleaning.

ocudte house Cleaning.
Yesterday the Senate Republicans in
caucus answered definitely the ques-
lions that have been repeatedly asked
since election regarding the status of
ihose members OF that body, once Re
publicans, who during the last cam
falgn refused their support to the
party's nominee for President, one of
them heading Il third-par ticket for
the same office himself The caucus,
by vote which did not go TO record,
resolved that Senators La Toilette,
Ladd, Brookhart and Frazier should
not be invited to future Republican
conferences and should not be named
TO fill any Republican vacancies in
Senate committees. 1t did not go so
far as to vote TO exclude them from
their present committee positions, an
action which would require q vote Of
the Senate itself.
Ihls action was not expected. The
belief had prevailed that the caucus
would for the present ignore the in
surSency Of the four Senators who
Dolted the presidential ticket and wait
for the opening of the Sixty ninth Con-
Sress to fix their PARTY status The
counsel Of prudence, perhaps, dictated
such course. The caucus, however.
elected TO eschew eXpediency and to
proceed with a housekeeping which,
whatever may befall, will at least
have the effect of clarifying the at
nosphere and rendering more definite
The responsibility for legislative pro-
cedUre.
Definition OF party regularity is not
easy. Not many partisans are 100
per cent regular IN their support Of
every proposal. every policy. The
caucus Of the Republicans yesterday
uid not apply the acid test of complete
and unfailing regularity. but the sim
pier test Of support In q presidential
campaign. Il did not apply the vote
II exclusion to Senators who, holding
.heir seats as Republicans, have in
the past frequently gone counter to
The PARTY course in legislation, such
Senators as Borah. Norris and John
son. They remain in full standing.
Senator Borah, indeed, IS advanced to
The important post OF chairman of
the foreign relations committee. Thus
clear line OF division is drawn. prob
ably the only line that could be drawn
logically and without causing denoraI-
izatioh.
Nominally, before this action was
taken, the Senate was composed of
- Republicans. AZ Democrats and
independents. 1t now stands 4S Re
DubltcanS, AZ Democrats and inde- !
pendents, to class the now excluded
senators with johnson and Shipstead
Of Minnesota. If the Democratic |
caucus should follow the same pro-
cedure with Senator Wheeler, who |
was La Follette's running mate on |
the third party ticket, their strength |
would fall TO II and that Of the inde- |
Dendents would rise to {. In either |
'ase the Senate will stand at a tic on |
n. straight Republican vote against a |
Democratic-independe vote.
In the next Congress, as q result |
# changes due to the election just |
held, the party standing will be as fol- |
lows, with Senator Wheeler remain |
ing in the Democratic caucus: Repub-
licans, 81; Democrats, 40; independ- |
ents, .. This would give Il clear Re ,
publican majority Of six over the COM
bined Democratic and independent |
votes, Should three of the Republic |
ans join the united opposition on any |
vote tie would result. But the ques-
lion has been raised whether in such |
Il case the full Democratic strength |
'euld be aligned for cooperation with /,
The independent bloc.
All four of the now-evicted Senators !
were elected as Republicans. Two, |
from North Dakota, We're supported |
10y tho Non-Partisan League, but Sc !
cured their nominations from Repub- |
jican sources. They have acted con.
sistently with the independent bloc |
since taking their seats. In the cam |
Taign just closed they were support |
ers of the third party. The present
action Of the caucus cancels their Re |
publicanism from the viewpoint Of
the Senate organization. They have
their appeal to the people of North |
Dakota. Senator Brookhart has just
been reelected on the face Of the re-
turns in circumstances that indicated
4 virtual reputation by the Repub-
iicans Of Iowa. Senator La Toilette
holds his place by virtue Of election
as a Republican two years ago. That
all four Of these Senators will seek to
block the Republican legislative pro-
gram is assumed. Whether they sue.
Ceed or not the action Of the caucus
will at least serve to place responsi. |
bility where it should rest. 1t un.
doubtedly simplifies matters on that
score while it may cause complica- |
tions in other respects.