Evening star., 1927-12-05
Senate, by Unanimous Con-
sent, Postpones Debate Un-
til After Presidents Mes
sage Is Read Tomorrow.
GARRETT ATTACKS RIGHT
OF BECK TO HOUSE SEAT
Insurgents Set to Launch Drive
in Upper Chamber Unless They
Are Promised Votes on Farm
Legislation and Other Major
Problems.
BY q. GOULD LINCOLN.

With storm signals flying, the
Seventieth Congress assembled TO-DAY
for its first session.
The battle in the Senate over the
seating of Senators-elect Frank l..
Smith of Illinois and William ). ware
of Pennsylvania was postponed tenn
porarily by unanimous consent until
the Presidents message has been
read tomorrow.
That Smith and Ware eventually
will be denied seats in the Senate IS
the belief of both Republican and
Democratic leaders. The contest
over permitting them to be seated
Immediately may require many
days of debate, however. The Sen
ate at its last session declined to per-
NIT Mr.. Smith to be seated when
he appeared as an appointee OF the
Governor of Illinois, to fill vacancy
caused by the death of the late SEN
ator Mckinley. Senator'S regard the
case against him as an elected Sena-
tor as far stronger than the case
against him as an appointee.
Friends of Mr.. Ware and Mr.. Smith
continue to insist, however, that they
have made inroads into the opposi-
tion and that eventually both Sena-
tors-elect will be seated.
Beck Is Challenged.
In the House there was an echo OF
the contest over the seating of Sen
ators-elect Ware. The right OF James
nj. Beck, Representative-elect from
Pennsylvania from the district Tor
merly represented by Mr.. Ware, to De
seated was challenged by the Demo
cratic leader, Representative Garrett
of tennessee. on the ground that Mr..
Reck was not a resident of Pennsyi-
-Ts.nia and the district from which ne
was elected.
Longworth Is Reelected.
Mr.. Beck. former Solicitor General
of the United States, has vigorously
defended the right Of Mr.. Ware to be
seated in the Senate on constitutional
grounds. He was recently elected 10
the House in the old Ware district.
following the resignation OF Mf. Has-
lett, who had been elected 10 the ware
seat in the House.
When the Pennsylvania delegation
was called to take the oath of office
in the House, Mr.. Beck's right to be
sworn in was challenged by Repre-
sentative Garrett, the Democratic
leader, and Mr.. Beck was asked to
stand aside until other members OF
the House had been sworn.
He did so. after Representative
Smell Of New York, chairman OF the
rules committee, had made the state
ment that he stood aside without
prejudice to his case.
Other than this incident the organi-
zation of the House proceeded quietly
and in regular order. Speaker Long
worth of Ohio was reelected by the
Republicans over Representative Finis
J. Garrett Of Tennessee, whom the
Democrats put forward as their can
didate.
When the names of Mr.. Smith and
Mr.. Ware were called to take the oath
of office, Senator Norris Of Nebraska,
Republican Progressive. rising to
question of highest privilege, offered
resolutions attacking the right or the
Senators-elect to be seated on the
ground that their nominations had
been tainted with fraud and excessive
expenditure Of money.
Others Are Sworn In.
Senator Curtis of Kansas, Repub'
1ican leader, in accordance with pre-
arranged plans, requested Mr.. smith
and Mr.. Ware to stand aside
temporarily until the other Senator's
elect had been sworn in. Immediately
after the other Senators-elect had been
sworn, the Republican leader asked
unanimous consent that the Smith and
Ware cases go over until tomorrow.
nIN re Ay-lyn DaYNn.
cratic leader of the Senate, announced
there would be no opposition from the
Democratic side.
Senator Curtis included in his re.
quest an agreement that no business
would be transacted today, except the
adoption of resolutions notifying the
President that Congress has assembled,
and fixing the hour of meeting Of the
Senate at noon each day and the elec-
ton Of a chaplain.
In this way, the Senate not only
postponed for today the bitter fight
which is to come over the seating OF
Smith and Ware. but also all questions
of organization of the Senate, includ
ing the election Of Senate officers. A
small group of Republican insurgents
and Senator Shipstead of Minnesota
the farmer-labor Senator, have threat
ened to make it impossible for the
Republicans to organize the Senate un
less they were promised votes in the
Senate on farm legislation, legislation
custailing the power Of Federal courts
to issue injunctions in labor disputes
and on a resolution for an inquiry into
the administrators policies in Mex
fco and Central America.
Could Bar Organization.
This group of Republican Senator.
acting with the Democrats could pre-
vent the organization of the Senat,
BY the Republicans.
The new Congress faces not onl,
struggles over organizations in tn,
Senate and the seating of Senators
elect Smith and Ware, but also /;
legislative program of great i'm
portance. Farm legislation, fioow re
lief and flood prevention, and tn
further reduction of taxation ar
among the subjects with which j
must deal.
The coming national political cam
,paign threatens to make its in
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