Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-18
A Spineless Suggestion.

The prize suggestion since the recent
congressional elections Is that the Re
publicans in the Senate step aside and
let the Democrats organize that body in
the next Congress. The promoters of
such a plan, alleged to be Republican
Senator's themselves, though their names
have not yet been attached to the idea,
take the position that it would be better
to place the responsibility for what goes
on In the Senate on the Democrats
since a coalition of Democrats and pro-
gressive Republicans will have actual
control in the next Senate, as it has
In the present.
Why the walls of Jericho fell has
been one of the mysteries for centuries
But If the Republican party is to de-
liver itself over to leadership of a char
acter to support this plan, there will be
no mystery whatever about the fall of
the G. o. p. A more spineless sugges-
ton rarely has been advanced. 1t seems
fairly safe to predict that little more
will be heard Of 1t. A political party
which because of division in its own
ranks raises the white flag in such a
conspicuous manner is in real danger.
The immediate denial by Senator Reed
Of Pennsylvania, Senator Smoot Of
Utah and other regulars that they
would not touch the proposed plan with
a ten-foot pole is somewhat reassuring.
Senator Borah, progressive Repub-
lican, and one of the leaders Of the
coalition" ironically and sarcastically
remarks that: II wish were as sure
of the Kingdom Of Heaven as am
that the Republicans will never give
up their Senate chairmanshfps as long
as thsy have the votes to retain them. !"
Mr.. Borah is himself chairman of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
just as his colleague in the coalition
group, Senator George w. Norris Of
Nebraska, is chairman Of the Judiciary
Committee, and both hold these offices
under Republican rule despite their
opposition, in the Senate, to the Re-
publican majority of that body. If the
they would have to determine whether
they would place deserving Democrats
at the heads Of these important COM
mittees or allow their erstwhile allies
to keep these jobs. The betting is
hundred to one that the Democrats,
under such conditions, would place
Democrats In ONCE.
The Republicans, as Senator Borah
points out, are not likely voluntarily
to relinquish the chairmanships of the
standing committees of the Senate and
the patronage which goes with organ
ization Of the Senate, for selfish per-
sonal reasons If for no other. But they
are not likely to follow the course pro-
posed because it would be sheer polit-
ical stupidity to do 50. The organize
ton of the standing committees not
only gives to the organizing party the
chairmanships. but a majority of the
really frame nearly all Of the legislation
which goes through the Senate. There
has been talk in some quarters. about
the desire of the Democrats not to have
forced upon them at this time the
responsibility of controlling either the
House or the Senate, or both. But such
talk is as idle, really, as the proposal
that the Republicans shall back away
from the responsibility OF organizing
the Senate. If the Democrats have a
majority in either House of Congress
they win organize that House. They
would be foolish to do otherwise.