Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-03
SEATING OF NYE
ST|RS NEW FIGHT
Reed of Missouri Indicates by
Motion of Course When
Smith Arrives.

Illinois, appointed by Gov. Small to
fill the Mckinley vacancy. cropped
up in the Senate this afternoon, not
outstanding the fact that Col. Smith
was not here TO present his creden
tialS.
A motion made by Senator Reed
; Democrat, of Missouri, chairman of
the slush fund committee, to refer the
credentials of Senator Nye of North
Dakota to the privilege, and elections
| committee precipitated the matter
Ordinarily when a Senator presents
his credentials he is sworn in as a
matter of course. There has been nc
challenge Of the Nye election, which
is for the term ending March 4.
Senator Reeds motion simply serves
as a notice to the Senate of what was
to be expected when Col. Smith pre-
sents his credentials, if he does pre-
sent them. Senator Reed made the
point that under the rules of
the Senate all credentials should be
referred to the committee, unless
there We're unanimous consent or a
vote of the Senate to permit the i'm.
mediate swearing in of Senator
elect.
Nye Sworn In.
Senator Robinson of Arkansas,
Democratic leader of the Senate, Of
fered a substitute resolution providing
for the immediate swearing in of Sen
ator Nye. This was acceptable to
Senator Reed, because he had no OPP
position whatever to Senator Nye.
After q brief debate Senator Nye was
allowed to take the oath, following
the adoption of the Robinson resolu.
! ton.
Senator Reed had accom- lished his
purpose OF putting the Senate on
notice. that the acceptance of Gre
dentials and the swearing in of Sen
ators were not to be brought about
perfunctorily.
Prior to the discussion on the floor,
at a conference OF Democratic Sena'
tors the Smith case was thoroughly
discussed. Afterward Senator Robin
son of Arkansas expressed the opin'
ion that a motion would be made to
| refer the Smith credentials to the
! committee on privileges and elections
| whenever they are presented. 1t is
understood that this motion will have
the general support Of the Democrats.
If it should be adopted 1t will do away
with the necessity of acting upon the
Ashurst resolution, which proposes
| to the Reed slush fund committee.
Speech Is Attacked.
Senator Deneen of Illinois, who
conferred with Smith in Chicago last
| weak, was in the Senate today. Sena
| tor Deneen said in conversation that
he did not know whether Col. Smith
would finally come here or not. He
added that he did not think Col. Smith
would. come here this week. He left
the impression that Col. Smith had
not yet finally determined what course
he would pursue.
The Smith case came before the
Senate from still another angle i'm
| mediately after it met today. Sena
tor Caraway of Arkansas and Sena
tor Mayfield of Texas, both Demo
| Gratis. assailed a speech made Satur
! day in Pittsburgh by Senator Reed
! of Pennsylvania in which Senator
Reed had criticized elections in the
South because negroes were not al
| lowed to vote.
Declaring that to seat Senator's
! elect Ware OF Pennsylvania and Smith
would be tantamount to turning over
| that great legislative body to the
multimillionaires of the country. who
are willing to buy the elections" Sen
| ator Norris OF Nebraska, i'll a state
ment today, answered in detail argu
ments which have been advanced by
supporters of Ware and Smith.
Starting with the premise that Ware
! and Smith were nominated by the
| expenditure of excessive sums OF
money, Senator Norris said:
IF Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Ware must
/! be seated and the precedent thus
Al .K.t, wfyNrt Ann1
end, the country will soon discover
that the Senate is not club of mil
| lionaires, but a club Of multi.million
aires, or, what is still worse. a club
| Of the tools and slaves of multi
millionaiI'es
Says Senate Supreme.
at is boldly proclaimed by those
who would seat Mr. Smith and Mr.
| Ware that the Senate Is helpless; that
it must accept these men and in the
future accept similar men who boldly
and braZenly acknowledge that their
nominations were secured by the ex
penditure of such inconceivable sums
Of money.
Fortunately, when our forefatheri
framed the Constitution they provided
IN that great instrument that the Sen
ate should be the sole judge of tht
qualifications and the election Of 1T
members. In other words. 1t made
the Senate in such instances the su
preme and final court, From it's de
cree there is no appeal and no cour
or other body of men can withhold 1t:
arm by injunction or other process.
I'm the Newberry case, where $l95,
600 was spent to secure nomination
the Senate declared that such expendi
ture was contrary to sound public
policy, harmful to the honor and dig
nifty of the Senate and dangerous Il
the perpetuity of a free government.
In the face of this record, can the
Senate seat either Smith or Ware
If it does. 1t will stultify itself ant
make itself the laughing stock of thu
. country.
"It is argued by those who contend
that the Senate is helpless and mus
accept these mems certificates, re
CARELESS Of the money spent to Obtain
, them, that the word Qualifications II
the Constitution refers only to tn