Evening star., 1927-10-13
c. 0. P. WATCHES
|NSURGENT PARLEY
Old Guard Leaders Especial
Iy Interested in Action
on Presidency.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
While disclaiming any feeling of
real concern, Republican Old Guard
leaders concede they are closely OBJ
serving developments in the confer
ences of Senate insurgents now in
progress here.
They are especially interested in
what this group, composed entirely of
Senators from the Far West, may do
with respect to the presidential situa-
ton; whether they win get behind
Norris of Nebraska in the presiden-
tial primaries or support Lowden of
Illinois, or fail to come to any agree
ment as to candidate.
The regular party leaders are not
undertaking to discount the influence
the insurgents could WELD in the next
national convention should they be
able to go there with a candidate hav-
ing sizeabie block of delegates. They
are doubtful, however, that an insur-
gent movement win meet with the
success even in the large agricultural
States that some of the directors of
the movement now hope for.
This doubt is predicated upon the
Endorsement of Lowden by party lead
ers in several of those States, the be-
lief that several others will send to
the convention delegations pledged to
'favorite sons" or unpledged and upon
other factors.
COnciIiatOry Moves Made.
Irrespective of whether the insur-
gents can agree upon candidate for
the nomination. their movement al
ready has brought conciliatory express
sions from the delegated leaders of
the party in the Senate. They de-
clare there are number of questions
on which they are in agreement with
the insurgents.
Adverting to the matter of increased
tariff protection for farm products OF
the West, which has been stressed by
Senator Borah of Idaho, both Senator
Curtis Of Kansas. the Republican floor
leader. and his assistant, Senator Wat
son of Indiana, declared there would
be little difficulty on that score.
Senator Curtis recalled that the
farming interests had obtained in the
Fordney y-McCumber act the exact
rates of duties they asked for on all
products save possibly two. In prac-
teal operation, however. these rates
are too low in the view of the Western
legislators.
Should the insurgents be able to
organize on the scale they have out.
lined, they win have a larger welded
group than ever before in the Senate
and they would constitute a force with
which the Old Guard leaders would
have to reckon, particularly in view
of the strength of the Democrats in
total Senate membership.
West Has Chairmanshins.
AS to the contention of the insurg-
ents that the Republican party Is too
much of the East and not enough
of the West, some of the leaders di-
rect attention to the large share
Western Senators and Representa-
tives have in affairs of both branches
of Congress.
OF the 20 major committees Of the
Senate, Senators from the Far West
are chairmen of IA; those from the
Central West are heads. of 2, with only
from the East holding chairman
ships.
Warren of Wyoming heads the
powerful appropriations committee.
Norris of Nebraska the judiciary
committee: Smoot of Utah the
finance committee; Curtis of Kansas
the rules committee, Borah of Idaho
the foreign relations committee,
Shortridge. of California the cleo
tions committee. McNary of Oregon
the agricultural committee, johnson
of California the immigration COM
mittee. Oddie of Nevada the public
lands committee. Norbeck of South
Dakota the pensions committee,
Jones of Washington the commerce
committee, Phipps of Colorado the
irrigation committee. and Frazier of
North Dakota the Indian committees,
OF these ii. eight are identified
with the insurgent group, or else
vote with them frequently on i'm
portant questions.
Similar Situation i'm House.
From the Central West, Watson of
Indiana is chairman of the interstate
commerce committee, and Willis of
Ohio heads the territories commit
tee. The four committees Eastern
Senators lead are: Military. Reed of
Pennsylvania; naval. Hale of Maine;
post Office. Moses of New Hampshire,
and banking. Mclean of Connecticut.
Thirteen of the % most important
House committees are presided over
by Westerners, these committees in
cluding ways and means. appropri.
ations. agriculture. elections. irriga- |
ton, public lands. pensions, food con- |
troll, immigration and Indian affairs. |
The Democratic party's leaders also
Continued on Page 2, Column A.