New Britain herald., 1925-03-07
Former Questions Right of G. 0. P. To Assign Ousted Insurgents If They Are Not Con- sidered Party Mem bers.
Nebraska Senator Also En- ters Fray, Warning Old Guard They Will Regret Their Nasty Action.

Washington, March 7.-Oblection from their own ranks prevented the republican majority today from completing organization of the new senate.
 When the republican organization brought in its slate of committee as- signments, relegating the LaFollette insurgents to places of minor rank, Senator Norris, republican, Nebraska, and Borah, republican, Idaho block cd Immediate consideration
 Senator Borah took the floor im- mediately after the report of the rla- Jority committee on committees had been presented. This report previous y had been approved by repubi- can conference with some discus sion but with practically no opposi- lion.
 Tells of Ousting.
 Replying to an Inquiry by Senator Borah, Chairman Watson of the re- publican committee on committees, said 1t had been decided to remove Senators La Toilette, Wisconsin: Ladd and Frazier, North Dakota, and Brookhart, Iowa, from their former rank and assign them to places below even the rank of the democrats, because of the action taken by the senate republican con- ference last November, reading them out of the party
 The party conference had de- cided, Senator Watson explained. that not only should these senators not be invited to attend further con- ferences, but that they should not be named in filling republican va cancies on committee ges.a1 ..-. - y,
 Borah's Objections.
 Then If these gentlemen are not to be treated as republicans" SenI- tor Borah returned, "by what right does a republican committee on cem- mittees assign them to places on the standing committees
 My answer to that" replied Sen ator Watson. lis that two years ago "HNiI lJi1 Gll illtl ~iiLppI SNlldIUIS came in they asked to be assigned 10 committee places by the repub- licans."
 Warns of Haste.
 The Nebraska senator protested against hasty action and said lie would require some time to consider the committee list presented by the republican committee on commit tees. Senator Borah declared re- moval of the insurgent group from their positions of seniority was i'm polite, unwise and unfair"
 Tt is not only unfair to the men themselves" said Senator Borah, but it Is unfair to their constitu- ents, venture to say that within the next two years my colleagues will re- gret this action and will look back upon it as mistake"
 Republican campaign spokesmen, he predicted, would have to devote most of their time fin explaining this act to the constituents when they so into these mems states"
 You may denote these men," he continued, but they have the same Influence in the senate they always had! There is difference of opinion in the republican party, but it is net confined to the leaders but exists among the constituents.
 If these men stood alone, it would be different. But I sec men sitting in this chamber today whose seats will be imperilled if this pro- gram goes through"
 Senator Watson, Indiana, one of tho republican leaders. replied that political party was organized in reality for only one campaign.
 "I do know" he asserted that ir 1924 these individuals left the republican party"
 Senator Bsookhart. Iowa one of those read out Of inc party, jumped to his feet and immediately chal- lenged the statement.
 T did not leave the republican party he said. "I am Il better re- publican than the senator from h. diana. stand for the principles of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. two great republicans, and have shown this by my Votes more than the senator from In- diana"
 That the senate insurgents cer- tainly did not represent the repuhli- can party as it declared itself in the last campaign. was & statement by Senator Watson.
 They championed the cause of another candidate for the presi- dency." he continued, organized an- other political party and held an- other political convention. They at- tempted to elect another presiden- tial candidate, If they had their way, Calvin Coolidge would not be l president of the United States to- day" In 1928, the Indiana senator add 1 cd, the insurgents might conclude to i return to the republican party, but i having decided to wreck" 1t in 1924, | they had no right to ask now for 1 places on committees. Senator Norris then made obiec- !