Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-25
DEMOCRATIC RULE
TO FAVOR SOUTH
Most of House Committee
ChairmanShips Would Go
to Seven States.
BY WILL r. KENNEDY.

House at the opening OF the seTenty-Sec-
ond Congress In Decembe II viii mean
not only the election Of the Speaker and
floor leader. but the Craftsmanship OF
at least 80 of the committees. Of which
probably seven would go 10 Texas.
While a series OF deaths since the
last Congress closed have given the
Democrats a present majority Of one,
the ofncial standing being, Democrats,
ala; Republicans. 2l3; Farmer-Labor,
one. and vacancies seven, IL must not
be overlooked that all of these vacan-
cies probably will be filled before Con-
gress meets In December. Neither Re-
publican nor Democratic leaders expect
TO see any oyerthrows in any OF the
vacant districts-that Is Republicans
will probably be elected to fill Repub-
lican vacancies and Democrats to fill
Democratic vacancies. Vigorous cam
paigns are under way, but no further
change in party lines is anticipated.
The one chance for Democratic con-
troll seems to be whether Stanley H.
Kunz Democrat, will be seated from
the eighth Illinois district. or whether
Peter G. Granata. Republican, will be
seated. The Democrats claim this seat
by virtue OF a court decision in favor
of Kunz. but the Republicans say that
merely gives Kunz the right to make
contest before the House itself for the
seat which belongs TO Granata by viz
tue of q certificate of election issued
to him following the election last year.
Is Deaths Since Election.
When the elections were held last
November. the result was: Republicans,
ala; Democrats, 216; Farmer-Labor.
one. Since then there have been Is
deaths, q record-breaking number
OF the seven vacancies, five will be
filled by elections on November 3-the
first and twentieth Ohio districts, the
eighth Michigan, second Pennsylvania
and the Seventh New York. The New
Jersey Legislature is to meet in special
session tomorrow to amend the election
laws 40 that q successor to Representa-
tive Alderman can be elected before
Congress meets. Gov. Wyant of New
Hampshire is making arrangements for
an early election of Q successor to Rep
reSentative Fletcher Hale.
Seldom in history has the entire
House membership Of ass been in at
tendance at an organization session ct
the opening Of a new Congress, but
special drive will be made by leaders
Of both parties to have their full
strength mustered on December z.
It is also probable that. while there
will be o sort Of free-for-al contest
in the Republican caucus with favored
sons of half dozen or more States
complimentary ballots the fight will
close down to between Tilson of Con-
necticut and Smell of New York. After
that contest Is decided-Rnd 1t may be
by the election of third or compromise
candidate-it Is pretty safe conclusion
that the Republican membership will
vote Solidly for the Republican candi-
date whoever he may be.
Garner and Byrns.
IF the Democrats should happen to
hold control, Representative John N.
Garner of Texas will be elected Speaker,
and probably Representative Joseph w.
Byrns OF Tennessee, ranking Democrat
on the Appropriations Committee Will
be made floor leader. This would take
Garner, the ranking man, from Ways
and Means, and Byrns. the ranking
man, from Appropriations.
Under the seniority rule ct least 30
Of the committee chairmanships would
40 to representatives from Southern
states.
out of scarcely q dozen committees
on which Northern Representatives may
be chairman under the seniority rules,
Q number have Southern men next IN
line, SO that IN the adjustment where
aouna veteran Democrat Ia by seniority
entitled To his choice between several
chairmansi1fps, q Southern Democrat
who stands In second place may get q
Craftsmanship. For example, Repre-
sentative Loring M. Black, IT., OF New
York, Is in line for chairman OF three
committees and second in line on sew
eraI Others. He must choose, II the
Democrats are in control, between Edu-
cation. Claims and Revision OF Laws
II he prefers the Craftsmanship OF Edu-
cation then the chairmanship OF Claims
would 10 to Representative j. Bayard
Clark OF North Carolina.
10 MAI
; thus have their choice of several chair
manships: Lanham OF Texas either
patents or Public Buildings and
Grounds; Jeffers of Alabama, either
=, Election Of the President. ETC., or CiVn
D Service, and Rankin Of MiSsissAppi.
either Census or World War veterans
7 Legislation.
Texas and Alabama.
Under the seniority rule, II the Demo
crats are in control, Texas Is sure OF al
at least six. and probably one or two
more chairmanships: Agriculture, Mar
Mn Jones; Appropriations. James r.
buchanan: Judiciary. Hatton w. SUM-
ners: Patents or Public Buildings ana
Grounds Fritz @. Lanham: Rivers ana
Harbors. Joseph j. Mansfield.
But Alabama will come close sec
ond with five probable chairmansnlps:
banking and currency, Henry Is. Stea-
0all. civil service or election of Presi-
dent. etc. Lamar LETTERS roads. Ed
ward B. Almon, and war claims, Miles
c. Algood.
North Carolina, Mississippi ard
Georgia would be entitled to four chair
manships each and South Carolina 10
three,
This would give to seven Southern
states the chairmanShipS OF 2S OF the
biggest committees in the House.
The probable lineup on committee
chairmanships under the seniority
practice of giving the chairmanship to
the Democrat who has served longest
on the committee is as follows
Accounts Representative Lindsay G.
Warren Of North Carolina.
ure-Representative Marvin
Jones of Texas.
Appropriations--Repr James
p. Buchanan of Texas.
Banking and currency-Representa-
tive Henry B. Steagall OF Alabama.
Census Representative John E. Ran
kin OF Mississippi.
Woman on ID. c. Group.
= Civil rvice-Representative Lamar
Jeffers Of Alabama.
Representative Lorng M
Black. jr., OF New York.
Coinage, weights and measureS-
Representative Edgar Howard OF Ne
braska
DISPOSITION Of useless executive pa
pers-Representative Robert A Green
Of Florida.
District OF Representative
CHRISTOPHER d. Sullin of New York is
first in line but is expected 10 give way
~ NErs Mary IT Norton OF New Jersey.