Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-20

Continued from First Page)
campaign by utility magnates has
been separated from the first question.
Crowds Swarm Senate.
1t is now expected that the frs,
vote will come on the Overman' reso
luton which would seat Smith with
out prejudicing any future proceed.
ings in his case. Offered by Senator
Overman of North Carolina. a Demo
crat. after he had made strong ap
peal that the rights of sovereign
state ne not denied. the hope of the
Smith supporters is that it will have a
real effect upon the vote.
Again today crowds swarmed the
Senate wing OF the Capitol, seeking
admission to the galleries.
Smith Hears Debate.
Col. Smith, who for Ave and one
half hours Yesterday sat in the Senate
chamber listening to the arguments
for and against him. was again in the
Senate today when the debate opened.
Last night he suffered from an
abscessed ear. but he was able to
come to the Capitol today
Senator Watson of Indiana. who
several weeks ago urged Col Smith
not to accept appointment as Senator
from Illinois because of the contest
which would be made against him.
opened the debate today with a plea
for the seating of Smith.
II was opposed to his coming here
for many reasons said Senator Wat
son. But he is here, knocking at the
door, and we must decide what is to
he done with him. The question in
volved transcends personal ambitions
or party advantage.
Watson Cites Constitution.
IL say that the chain Of title OF Col.
Smiths appointment is perfect. The
Constitution provides that the gov.
ernor has a right to appoint a Sen,
ator under certain conditions. The
Legislature Of Illinois has conferred
on the governor the power to appoint
under those conditions. There is no
question Of Col. Smiths constitutional
qualifications. including age, citizen.
ship and residence
$50 far as the right of Col. Smith
to ne sworn in is concerned, no link
in the chain Is broken. There are four
ways to deal with him: First. to ex.
clude him; second to admit him and
refer his credentials to a committee:
credentials, and fourth, to admit him
absolutely"
Argues for Admission.
Neither OF the two proposals look
ing to absolute action is being con-
sidered. AS he has been regularly an.
pointed and fulfills the constitutional
qualifications. all we can do Ia to
admit him as member of this body"
Senator Watson argued that the
case of Col. Smith was unlike that
of Senator Nye of North Dakota. In
the Nye case the credentials were re-
ferred to the privileges and elections
committee before Senator Nye was
sworn In. Senator Watson pointed
sout that In the case of Senator Nye
the right of the governor to appoint
was In doubt, while in the case of
Col. Smith there was no such doubt.
Robinson Enters Case.
Senator Watson and Minority
Leader Robinson of Arkansas engaged
in a rapid fire of questions and an
swers that held the interest of the
crowded galleries for several minutes,
as each Senator sought to break down
the position OF the other
After Senator Watson had declared
that the question OF seating a Senator
who presents himself with proper ere.
dentials Is entirely aside from the
question of passing upon his quaIif.
cations after he has been seated, Sen.
ator Robinson interrupted and asked:
IF a man came here with con.
tagious disease, or had been i'm.
peached or who. on his way to the
Senate. had committed some shocking
crime. does the Senator contend that
we would have to admit him IL he
was 30 years old. citizen of the
United States and resident OF the
State which sent him."
Power of Senate.
That is my view of It," Senator
Watson replied. Senator Watson ax.
planned that the. question he was EAlen