Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-19

nromfnent Republican members see It,
in an interview today - follows;
";The sad death of Speaker Longworth
will be far-reaching IN its pehtica! ei-
feet. He was the only memner o. the
Seyenty-second Congress who coulo POS
sibly have received the unanimous IN
dorsement Of the Republican members
elect nv aeclarnation on the frat ballot.
It is not TO be expected that his sue
cessor viii be quickly or easily Selecled.
WhetheP or not the Massachusetts re-
rubliean delegation viii see Mt % eee
as . unit viii remain proelenaueaa aot
s.Nh i / could readily make . per-
sonai selection, ! feel that the enndMon
confronting US win require setting asaae.
If necessary, personalities ana even
friendsfips ia the best interests Of the
Repuhliean party. We should make
eyery possible effort 10 organize the next
House. and In order TO do 20 we must
have q candidate for Speaker VINO can
unite haFra0niously the numerous lac
tions within the party In the honee,
Until q careful study Is made Of the
situation, ! ana not prepared 10 say tor
whom / shall eventually vote m the
Republican caucus"
Smell speech Held Bid.
This indicates how well the veteran
Republicans in the House realize mat
they must watch their step" Ia TINS
speakeTship contest, which now promises
to be the bitterest IN the memory OF
those in political life: They recognize
that House Leader Tilson faces 2 hard
fight to win the speakerShip, and that
Chairman Smell of the Rules Committee
is no more acceptable to the Progressive
Rroup and lacks the prestige that Rep"
resentattve Filson has enjoyed.
The avowed candidates themselves
recognize the big hurdles against which
they are running.
Representative Smell, who sought TO
be party leader in the House some
years ago when Mr.. Tilson was elected
has been making g personal campaign
seeking the support Of the delegations
from the larger States, and his recent
speech in New York, reversing his
tariff stand and declaring that this
country had gone the limit" In inn
posing tariffs, Is interpreted on all
sides as a bid for support OF the West
ern and Progressive members, with
whom in the past he has had scant
patience.
May BIeck TiIaen.
Some Of the party strategists have
been taking Mr.. Smell to task for thus
flagrantly throwing TO the four winds
the party policy which he carried out
as chairman Of the Rules Committee
In putting through the tariff bill under
a so-called gag rule" in a desperate
overture for balance Of power" votes
in the speakeFship caucus. The party
leaders view with alarm the juicy NOR
sci of campaign fodder which ne -laS
thus supplied TO the Democrats, who
have promptly hailed Mr.. SMELLS ut
terance with delight and announced
their determination TO use 1t TO exploit
a vigorous drive for revision downward
of the burdensome tariff.
The Progressive group are at present
no more ready TO condone Mr.. smell
than Mr., Tilson. These two survivors
of the ''triumvirate" that was q thorn
in the flesh TO the ProgFessives, will
strength of the feeling against them
before the campaign goes much further.
1t appears now as though, while Mr..
Smell probably cannot win the speaker
ship himself, he may be able to prevent
Mr. Tilson from getting 1t, as he I'M
doubtedly would under normal condt-
tons.
Whoever wins must have the solid
support Of his party, and the party
leaders appreciate that they have no
small task TO get any candidate who
can do that. The Republican caucus
of House members-eleet must decide
who among them can win. In the
meantime the party leaders, although
they may be working behind the scenes
will let the rival candidates make their
campaigns.
The fireworks are due TO start this
week-and some members OF the Senate
are not entirely "disinterested by
ISLANDERS"