Evening star., 1925-11-22
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

Plans for organization of the House
are receiving serious consideration in
conferences as old members are flock
ing back TO the Capital. 1t Is already
evident that three important steps
are to be taken by the Republican
ma jority:
% Those who supported the La
Toilette candidacy for the presidency
are to Ike excluded from appointment
to key" committees. which means
committees where they might have
chance to vote against the policy of
The administration and Republican
majority.
(2) Determined effort Will be made
20 return 10 the rules of the Sixty
seventh Congress, or at least to do
away with the new rule adopted last
year. which provides for the dis
charge OF any committee from con-
sideration OF any measure on vote of
80 members, which would then al
low the measure to be brought up in
the House through the work OF an
organized minority.
(3) While the old seniority rule will
he followed in regard to committee
ChairmAnShtpS, a way will be found
{" ease out Of the way some who
through long service are in line for
the chairmanshlp. but who are for
some reason or other undesirable"
TilsOn Considers Problem.
Representative John @. Tilson of
Connecticut. the new House leader,
who is to be chairman of the com
mittee on committees which makes
up the slate OF appointment OF Re
publican members to the various
standing committees of the House, Is
now wrestling with this intricate and
lie does not expect to call the COM
perpleXing problem Of orga niZation.
mittee on committees together until
the middle of the week before Con-
greSS COnyeneS. In the meantime
Information IS being gathered re-
garding the preferences of the 435
members regarding committee as
S!gnmentS and regarding chairman
ships where older men are eligible
Tor two or more places through
shifts that may or may not he made.
Mr.. Tilson Will urge that each com
mittee be taken up on its own
merits and that each individuals
preferences be taken up on its own
merits He will endeavor to have
the committees organized with =
view to the best service they can
line with the announcement made
by Representative Longworth, the
new Speaker. when he became floor
leader. as the policy OF the majority
party, which is still IN the majority.
Already the incoming House leader
has announced that no men will be
assigned TO key committees who sup
ported the candidacy of Robert y. .
La Toilette for the presidency. The
Republican party's position is that
1t does not intend to place men who
showed disposition or Willingness TO
tear down and destroy the party in
position which would aid them in
frustrating or handicapping the party
policy or program.
No Intent to Punish.
There is no intention TO punish"
those progressives. Mr.. Tilson exp
plains. and this does not mean that
they viii not get some good commit
tee places, where they can best serve
the interests Of their constituents
But they will not he on committees
such - the ways and means. or on
rules. which determine questions Of
party policy.
These so-called ''progressives" will
be represented on the committee on
mittee slate, through Representative
James A. Frear Of Wisconsin. who
has 10 votes, one for each Republican
member from his State. OF course
the Republican leadership Is not par
tcularly urgent that Mr.. Frear will
attend the conferences, and he may
not even be invited" to attend when
the cards of notification are sent out.
by way Of illustration, il has been
suggested that the committee on in
sular affairs may be considered one
Of the key" committees which de
termlnes party policy. It is we'll
known that Representative Harold
hnutson OF Minnesota desires and ex-
pects to be chairman Of this com
nittee, Mr.. knutson at one time
hirted with the La Toilette follow
era when they made their fight over
the organization OF the House, but
ms did not vote for their candidate
for Speaker, Representative Cooper
Of Wisconsin, but for Representative
Madden. Mr. Knutson was somewhat
aSgrieVed because he was formerly
Republican whip" but had been
superceded. Later, however he el-
brsTed his way back into the good
graces of the majority. and was very
regular in the last campaign. sup
porting President Coolidge
Mr.. Knutson is now chairman OF
the pensions committee, so that ii he
gets the Craftsmanship Of the insular
affairs it leaves vacancy in the
Craftsmanship Of pensions, which
would then go to Representative John
N. Robson OF Kentucky. who is
chairman Of mines and mining-this
Illustrates how the Shifts multiply the
combina tions and cross pulling for
chairmanships that are now perplex-
ing HOUSE Leader TilsoD and other
members OF the committee on com
rnitteeS.
Claims Committee Contest.
Ir this same conection the contest
for chairman of the claims committee
looms up. Representative Oscar T..
Keller OF Minnesota is in line for this
craftsmanship under the seniority
rule. and he wants il. But Mr.. Kel-
Ter was one of the inner circle OF the
LIZ Toilette clique. and the claims
committee handles some very i'm
portant business. He may be set
9 side for that reason. Then next in
line would be Representative Charles
L. Cnderhill of Massachusetts, who
has been responsible for important
changes in legislation affecting the
settlement Of claims against the Gov
ernment. Mr.. Cnderbill is eager TO
be chairman.
Both Keller and Cnderhill are active
members of the District committee,
and will probably continue as menl-
berg. no matter who gets the chair
Inanship of claims.
Representative Fred \. Zihluan OF
MARYLAND is now chairman of labor,
but he Is going to be chairman of the
District committee, and has already
moved into the District offices. Rep
resentative James u. Beck of Wiscon-
Sin VIII probably get,the craftsmanship
Of labor