Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-04
SENATE REVISION
IS Held UNLIKELY
Reorganization Not on
Cards Unless Republicans
Put Matter to Test.
BY G. GOUZD LINCOLN.

Reorganization OF the Senate, so far
as It's officers are concerned including
the President pro tempo.e, Senator
George H. Moses of New Hampshire. is
not on the cards for the opening Of the
new Congress in December unless the
Republicans themselves insist upon
putting the matter to the test. rc2o-
luton of the Senate. adopted in 1880
and not since repealed provides that
the President pro t2mp0re of the Senate
shall hold Office during the pleasure Of
the Senate and until an 7ther is elected
The Interpretation of this resolution has
included the other officers CT the Senate,
including the secretary and the
sergcant-at-a
With the almost even political divi-
sion in the new Senate. the Repub-
leans having 40 seats, the Democrats
Al and the Farmer-Labortes l, there
has been speculation in many quarters
regarding the possibility of the reor-
ganizatiCn of the Senate by coalition
q Democrats and Republican insur-
gents. electing a Democrat president
PRO tempore, for example. Senator
Moses incurred the ire of some Of the
Progressive Republicans, including par
ticularly Senator of Nye of North Ca-
kota, during the last Congress, and 1t
has been int!mated that these Progress
siveS might undertake to punish the
New Hampshire Senator by declining
TO support him in a fight for the re-
tention CT his present Office.
Democrats Plan No Action.
So far as can be ascertained here
today, the Democrats are not planning
to start a movement to elect the officers
Of the Senate at the coming session.
II, however, the Republican leader, Sen
stor Watson, should present reSolu-
ton calling for the reelection of the
president pro tcmpore, the SECRETARY of
the Senate and the sergeant at ARMS.
the Democrats would place in nomina-
ton their own candidates for these Of
fees. Senator Pittman of Nevada was
the last candidate of the Democrats foc
president pro tempore. put forward in
1927, and he probably would be their
selection again.
With the vote as close between the
two major parties as it will be in the
new Senate. TWO or three Progressive
Republican Senators could throw the
election to the Democratic nominee for
President pro-tempore either by actually
voting for the Democrat or by refrain
ing from voting for Senator Moses.
Senator Moses could not be unseated
as President pro tempore, however, by
the Republican Progressives putting up
and voting for one of their own group.
1t takes a majoritY vote il the Senate
to elect President pro temporc, and
a mere plurality for a Democrat would
not take Moses out of Office.
Committees Must BE Elected.
The rules of the Senate however, do
provide that at the beg inning of each
new Congress the standing committees
of the Senate must be elected. 1t is
not likely that the Progressive Republi-
cans. many of whom hold important
committee chairmanships and commit
tee assignments. will hop the party res
ervation when It comes to voting on the
committee appointments. The Republi-
cans, therefore, seem assured of hold
ing control of the standing committees
during the nett session. Even if Senator
ShipstCad Of Minnesota. the sole Farm
Cr-LGcor Senator, should vote with the
Democrats en- this matter OF the Senate
organization. which ne is not likely to
90, the Republican Vice Pres. dent would
be Oh hand to cast a deciding vote for
the Republican nominees to the COM
mittceS.
Senator Moses not long ago strongly
1ntimated in a magazine article that
if the Progressive Republicans should
undertake to depose him from his Office
as president prOtempore, he and some
of his friends would see to it that the
Progressives, like Nye, chairman of the
Committee on Public Lands, and Norris,
chairman of the. Committee on Judici-
airy, should lose their chairmanshipS to
Democrats. But it does not look as
though the New Hampshire Senator
would be compelled to go TO any such
lengths to protect himself unoev the
existing circumstances.
Curtis St;il in Capital.
Vice President Curtis is still in WASH
ington and likely to be here for another
week or two. Notwithstanding repeated
publication of reports that he plans
to run for the Senate in Kansas next
year and not to be a candidate for
Vice president, Mr. Curtis insists that
he has told no one of his plans.
1t is understood, however, that the
Vice President may make statement
of his intentions regarding the vice
presidential and the senatorial races in
October or November One thing APP
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