Evening star., 1924-10-13

decline to be drawn into discussion
of national candidates during the
campaign.
The Republican organization, it was
said today, will go right ahead sup
porting Senator Norris. 1t will take
| the position that Senator Norris has
given assurances by his statement
that he will vote for Gen. Dawes for
Vice President, provided the State
casts its vote for the Republican
ticket. This, it will be said, is salts
factory.
There are Republicans Of the stall
wart variety in Nebraska who do not
like Senator Norris, and who will like
him still less because of his failure
to say that he would vote for the
Republican nominee for Vice Presi-
dent il the Senate has TO make the
choice. Some of these Republicans
will vote against Norris. But Senator
Norris is believed to be sure Of VIC
tory over his Democratic opponent,
John J. Thomas. He is tremendously
strong with the farmers and with the
workers generally throughout the
State In fact, the La Toilette people
are hoping that the men and women
who vote for Norris will vote for
their ticket. They are suggesting as
often as they can that "a vote for
i
and vice versa.
The Norris statement regarding the
vice presidency is not such a direct
blow at the Republicans as has been
iealt by Senator Brookhart of Iowa.
But it is hailed by opponents OF
Coolidge and Dawes as a failure on
the part of Senator Norris to indorse
the Republican ticket. Senator Norris
has made it plain that If the choice
h1t, ha
Republican and Bryan the Democrat,
then he will vote for Mr.. Bryan,
provided Nebraska goes Democratic.
He will vote for Gen. Dawes provided
the State goes Republican. And in
the event that the choice in the
Senate should be between Dawes and
Wheeler, the third ticket candidate,
or between Bryan and Wheeler, and
the Independent Progressires win in
for Wheeler. What could be more
impartial?
On the other hand, if the State goes
Republican, then the La Toilette
group in the Senate, and the Demo-
Gratis, il they hope to have the sup
port of the Progressive Mr.. Norris in
a coalition to defeat Dawes, will hope
in vain.
Should Nebraska cast its electoral
T
it may yet do, and the Republican
and Democratic nominees for Vice
President receive the highest number
of electoral votes throughout the
country, thereby winning the right
to be balloted for in the Senate,
Senator Norris will, under his state
ment, retain the right to decide
whether he shall vote for Bryan or
for Dawes.
Respects Peoples Demands.
Senator Norris in his statement
made it clear that he regarded the
latest vote Of the people as a mandate
which should be followed. 1t is in
line, as he explained. with the fight
he has been making for years to have
the lame duck" sessions Of Congress
eliminated and the newly elected Con-
gress begin to function as soon as
possible after 1t has been chosen by
the people. He has proposed a con-
stitutional amendment to bring about
this end, and twice his resolution
has been passed by the Senate by the
necessary two-thirds vote. But twice
it has been held up in the House.
1t Is the old Senate-the present
Senate-that must select a Vice Pres
ident should the electoral college fail
to do so. In other words, 1t is the
"lame duck" Senate which must make
the selection. That, Senator Norris
does not believe is as it should be-
Under the constitutional limitation
the selection Of Vice President by the
Senate must be made between the
two candidates who have received the
highest number of electoral votes. In
the House the choice for President Is
between the three candidates who
have received the greatest number Of
votes.
Senator Norris suggestion that
members Of the House should be can
vassed also regarding how they
would vote in the event of the cleo
tion Of a President being left to that
body has sent a cold chill down some
backs. Here in Nebraska the six
members of the House are evenly
divided between the Democratic and
the Republican parties. If they stick
to their party lines. Nebraska will be
unable to cast . vote for President.
II Senator Norris theory should be
applied to other Senators what would
be the position of Senator Brook
hart Of Iowa, who has sunk his Pro-
gressive teeth into Gen. Dawesf II
Iowa should 60 Republican could