Evening star., 1931-12-04
WATSON IS AGAIN
ELECTED LEADER
BY SENATE c. D. P.
Reorganization Harmonious
Despite Talk of Fight on
Senator Moses.
MORATORIUM MESSAGE
TO BE SENT THURSDAY
Democrats Elect Robinson Leader
and Agree on Bankhead
Action.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

Republicans and Democrats of the
Senate today met in separate party
caucuses to frame their states for Sen
ate organization and to lay their plans
for legislative programs in the session
which opens here Monday.
Considerable discussion revolved
. around the question of asking Sena-
! tor-elect Bankhead of Alabama to stand
aside and not take the oath of Office.
sntil the contest brought against him
by former Senator Heflin shall have
! been decided. No conclusion was
reached in the matter, however. A
I subcommittee of the Privileges Elec-
! ton Committee is to hold further
! hearing this afternoon in the Bank
head case and If possible the full COM
mittee will meet tomorrow and con-
slider the report of its subcommittee.
. Predictions we're made today, however,
that Mr.. Bankhead would be asked TO
stand aside.
Leader Watson told the Republican
conference he did not believe any ef-
fort would be made to prevent the i'm
mediate seating Of Senator-elect Bailey
of North Carolina, Democrat, against
whom a contest is pending. brought by
his Republican opponent Prichard.
Absent as Usual.
The absence from the conference OF
Republican Progressives, including Nor
ris of Nebraska, Brookhart OF Iowa, La
toilette of Wisconsin and Borah OF
Idaho, is not unusual. Rarely do any
OF these attend the party caucuses.
Senator Watson annorlced the ap-
p-intment of the Republican Commit
te, on Committees as follows: Senator
M,Nary. chairman, and Senators Moses,
Srnoot, Reed, Oddie, Nye, Bingham,
Ce~per and Hastings.
The Republicans, meeting In the
marble room. Immediately back of the
Sencte chamber. reelected Senator
watson Of Indiana as leader and Sena-
IT, HIcNary of Oregon as assistant
leader. Senator Hale was made secre-
t~-y Of the Republican conference and
under euthority granted him by the
conference, Senator Watson appointed
Senator Fess of Ohio Republican whip.
Senator Watson described the meet
ing es harmonious Thfrty-foir Re-
publican Senator'S were present, includ-
ing the newly appointed Senator from
New Jersey, Barbour. Only two OF the
Republican Progressive group attended
bllE StlldbOt I'LL dili oNilleoll
Of California aRd Senator couzens of
Moses Matter Not Up.
No effort was made to bring before
the conference the question whether
Senator George H. Moses of New Hamp-
shire shall be continued as president
pro tempore Of the Senate.
When Senator johnson questioned
Senator Watson about the program for
next week, Senator Watson replied that
the Senate organization would take
place Monday Tuesday Inc Presidents
annual message would be read in the
Senate, Wednesday the Presidents
budget message would be submitted and
Thursday the President would send to
Congress a special message dealing with
the moratorium of intergovernmental
debts. Senator Watson said that the
first legislative business would be the
consideration of legislation necessary to
make the moratorium effective.
The Republican leader explained later
that in all probability the election Of
the standing committees of the Senate
would not come up until Tuesday.
Whether the question Of the election
Of the president pro ternpore of the
Senate, the fly in the Republican ONT
ment, would come up before the elec-
tion of the standing committees or later
Senator Watson said he was unable TO
say.
Democrats Honor Robinson.
The Democratic Senator'S meeting In
party conference, reelected Senator
Joseph T. Robinson as their party
leader, and reelected also Senator
Walsh Of Montana as vice chairman OF
the conference and assistant leader and
Senator Sheppard of Texas the Demo-
cratic whip.
The Democrats picked a slate for
Senate officers. They will support Sena-
tor Key Pittman Of Nevada for Presi-
dent pro tempore, Col Edwin A. Halsey
of Virginia for secretary and J. L, Do
bell of Montana for sergeant at-arns.
The Democratic conference discussed
at some length the contest over the
Alabama seat to which Senator Bank
head was elected Senator George OF
Georgia, a member of the COMMITTEES
which has investigated the contest
brought by Senator Heflin, explained in
detail the facts developed by that COM
mittee.
The Democrats also talked over the
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