Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-11-18
BUTLER s POSITION
IN SENATE UNIQUE
AND PROBLEMAT |CAL
New in Congress, Campaign
Manager May Be Power
Behind Throne
BY DAVID LAWRENCE

right, 1924
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15.-What
will William Buffers position be IN
the United States senate. VIII ne
be the administration spokesman
the man of whom those seeking
point of political contact with Presl
dent Coolidge will lock?
Certainl yno other manager has
gone to the senate in recent years
Immediately after a successful cam
paign. Nor has any chairman OF
the Republican national committee
been sitting in the upper house OF
congress, though, to be sure, Cor
dell Hull has been in the house OF
representatives during his term OF
office as chairman of the Democratic
national committee. There is no
precedent by which to gauge the
future. But certain things may be
taken for granted.
In the first place, the appointment
of Mr.. Butler by the governor OF
Massachusetts is no mere fultlllment
of personal wishes. Mr.. Butler has
for some time been anxious to go to
the senate. He might have been the
administration candidate in the Re
publican primaries this year when
Speaker Gillette was chosen to OPP
pose the reelection of Senator
Walsh. Mr.. Butler, however, had
taken hold OF the pre-conVention
campaign of President Coolidge and
gave up senatorial ambitions to stick
with his chief. Whatever sacrifice
was involved then has by the hand
of fate been offset now by his ap-
pointment to Office as the successor
to the late Senator Lodge.
Mr.. Buffers vote-getting capacity
is the subject of some differences
of opinion in New England as he is
not the spectacular type. 1t may be
that before the next election is held
to choose a successor to Senator
Lodge in the regular way, Mr.. Butler
may be found in the cabinet.
Just now with the secretary of
war, John w Weeks, coming from
Massachusetts, the president did not
feel like violating custom by having
two men IN the cabinet from his own
state. Mr.. Weeks himself may de-
termine to enter the senatorial race
some day or to retire to private life
in which event Mr.. Buffers entry
into the cabinet might occur.
The whole thing will depend to
some extent on Mr.. Buffers eX
perience in the senate in the next
year. His opportunities to rise to d
position of commanding influence
and power are just as great if not
greater in the senate than in the
cabinet. At the Republican conven-
ton in Cleveland last June, Mr..
Butler came into violent collision
with the ''old guard by issuing Oh
ders and instruction which, however
well-intentioned, went against the
grain of the veteran politicians. This
experience may have discouraged
him from essaying the role of politi-
cal leader. For the sensitiVeneSS of
few political chieftains in a national
convention is a mere incident COM
pared to the attitude of the modern
senator toward anyone who plays
the part of leader. Individualism has
developed to such a poit that it is
doubtful whether an Aldrich of yes
teryears could manage the present
day senator's.
Senator Butler could not very well
become a legislative leader as he is
new in congress himself, and like
most new Corners would have to be
going to school most of the time
in congressional practice. His
speeches probably will be few for
the same reason. Nevertheless like
viii Hays and Harry Daugherty, the
new senator from Massachusetts will
be in constant touch with the White
House on questions of appointment
No one knows as intimately the obi
cations incurred in a presidential
contest. The senators will find it
convenient to consult Mr.. Butler and
to seek his cooperation. Were he
disposed to play politics in the old
fashioned way dispensing offices to
the constituents of those senators
and members of the house who
played BALI and co-operated with
the administration on legislation he
could build up position of personal
power which would give him leader
ship-a man behind the throne-it
all depends on his own tact and dis
erection. And, no one enVies him the
job of being the confidant of the
administration, a, senator and for
mer campaign manager all at the
same time