Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-06
WURzBACH DEATH
HELPS DEMOCRATS
Control of House and Choice
of Garner for Speaker Now
Seem Assured.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

democrats WOulu Organize Vic 'hSOih+'AS
House.
This makes the membership at pres
ent: Democrats, iii; Republicans, 2l4;
Farmer-Labor. l. and three vacancies
One OF these vacancies Is to be hlled
by a SPECIAL election before the Con-
greSS meets on December I, to CHOOSE
a successor TO the late Representative
Ernest r. Alderman Of New Jersey. MI
Alderman last year rolled up testl-
monial plurality Of some $4,000 alter
10 wears OF consecutive service. In the
election last Tuesday A. Harry Moore,
the Democratic governor-elect, achieved
a nllrality of some 10000 in the Acker-
man district. Figuring on TINS, the
Democrats are hopeful that they may
gain yet another seat from the Repun-
hcans. ..
II is not likely that a special election
can be held to fill the Wurzbach seat
before Congress meets, and it is net
likely that this district will again elect
a Republican The Republican seat
from New Hampshire vacated by the
death of Representative Fletcher HAZE
will not be filled for several weeks ait
er Congress meets. consequently. ul-
less further deaths occur before Con-
qress convenes the Democrats Will con-
troll the House andAelect Representative
Jack" Garner o4Gexas Speaker.
Hope to Capture Texas Seat.
The hope of the Democrats that they
will capture the seat vacated by the
death of Representative WurZbach Is
based largely on the fact that Mr..
Wurzbach has been stronger than MS
PARTY in that district. He came in 4
the Harding landslide in 1920 and has
built himself up strongly in the regard
of the people by earnest service in their
interests during the past 10 years.
Representative Wurzbach had the
distinction of being the third Repub-
lican elected to Congress from Texas
since its admission to the Union in
1S45 and the only Republican elected
for more than two terms. He was
elected in 1926 with a majority OF 1000
votes. In 1928 his Democratic OPP
ponent, Augustus McCloskey, was de-
clared elected by 3l9 votes, sworn In
for nearly year.
Representative WurZbach contested
and while the House was investigating
this election Mr.. McCloskey admitted
errors in the returns and Mr.. Wurzbach
was seated In the election last year
Mr.. Wurzbach was elected by q ma
jority of 8,499
Representative Wright Patman, from
the first Texas district, today tele-
State asking whether Gov. Sterling
could call q special election in time for
a successor to WurZbach to participate
in the organization of the House.
While there is q strong Republican
population in that district, the Demo-
Gratis are figuring that with Representa-
tive Jack Garner of Texas elected
Speaker, State pride will be aroused to
send a solid Democratic delegation to
the House to support their leader.
Wurzbach Is Fourteenth to Die.
In recent months IL House members
have died evenly divided between
Democrats and Republicans.
With the Democratic gain. the pros
poets of the single Farmer-Labor MEM
Der, Representative Paul A Kyale. OF
holding the balance Of power and cast
ing the deciding vote dwindles, as does
also the prospect that the so-called
ProgreSsives can enforce their demands
for recognition and liberalization OF the
rules on their own terms.
But with a Republican administra-
ton. with patriotism to be put ahead
of partisanship for relief of the de-
preston, if the control OF the House
Is intrusted to the Democrats, with
a scant majority of one or two, which
may be wiped out by death or sickness,
Representative Garner If elected
Speaker will have decidedly worri-
some time.
G. o. p. Might Dust Garner.
There is also this contingency
which has not been mentioned by party
leaders-that even If the Democrats do
have votes enough in the early days OF
December to organize the House. 1t may
not stay organized. After the New
Hampshire special election. or possibly
: a special election in the Wurzbach dis
trict, or some other district that may
be visited later by death, If it develops
that the Republicans have gained
majority over the Democrats, or even
achieved tie vote with them, an effort
probably will be made to upset the
Garner regime and organize the House
all over again.
When the Democrats organize they
must move quickly in perfectlng their
slate of committees. Here they are
faced with the necessity of compromis-
ing several points at issue between
Northern and Southern Democrats. the
most troublesome being that practically
all of the committee chairmanShlpS
would 60 to Democrats under the
seniority rule that has been observed
for many years.
Some OF the more prominent South
ern members appreciate that important
ern members in order to preserve good
feeling. hearty cooperation and party
unity-especially needed at this time,
when party control hangs by such a
slight margin.
Hearings Wait Till Session.
An illustration of the need for the
quickest action possible on committee
organization is that the Fedel al Budget
must be carefully analysed. Usually
when there Is no uncertainty about
which party will be in control. the
hold-over Appropriations Committee
goes ahead. informally conducting hear
ings before subcommittee on the vari-
Gus divisions OF the budget.
On account of the possibility that the
Democrats might gain control. Chair
man Will r. Wood OF the Approoria-
tions Committee in the LIST Congress
decided several months ago not to go
ahead informally. but to await the cut
come as to which party would organ
lie the House His decision appears 10
have been prophetic. for the situation
today indicates that he will be succeed
ed as chairman by Representative
Joseph w Byrns Of Tennessee. and that
all of the subcommittee will have a
Democrat as chairman and Democratic
maiorities. instead of Republican ma
jority membership.
Smell Refuses to Give Up Fight.
While recognizing that the Demo-
Gratis now have a majority to organize
the House. the Republicans who for
the first time in Is years have been
forced into a minority position. are de-
termined to fight the issue TO finish.
They will dispute the organization OF
the House to the last ditch. They EN-
phaSlze that there have been three
deaths within the last three weeks and
that with more than three weeks to the
nrAanino of CnnQrPSS death serious