Evening star., 1931-04-16
The Political Mill
By C. Could Lincoln.

lican candidate for Speaker, Mr.. Long
worth, from the political field, and with
Vice President Curtis reported to be
considering entering the race for Sena-
tor from Kansas next year. there is a
tremendous lot of maneuvering going
on among Republican politicians and
members of Congress at this time. The
speakership and the office OF Vice
President are tremendously important,
Notwithstanding the efforts. which have
been made in the past to clip the
Speakers wings by amending House
rules, and notwithstanding the Oft
repeated suggestion that the vice presi-
dency is merely pigeonhole for ambi-
tious and able public men.
X Il 4
"If' Vice President Curtis determines,
after he has looked the situation over
In Kansas, that he would like to get
into the race for his old Senate seat
against the Democratic incumbent Nc
Gin, then the field will be open to
Republican candidates for the Vice
President nomination next year. 1t is
quite true that the presidential can
didate, who in this case is expected to
be President Hoover, will in the end
do the selecting But candidates for
the nomination and their friends will
endeavor to win the acquiescence of
the Chief Executive to their plans if
they can.
Majority Leader John O. Tilson of
the House, according to his friends, has
had his eye on the vice presidential
nomination for long time When it
appeared that Vice President Curtis
might determine to get into the Senate
contest next year, the hopes of Col
Tilson, as well as those of other aspir-
ants for vice presidential honors, soar
ed. The death of Speaker Longworth,
however seemed to give to the Re-
publican leader of the House an oppor-
tunity to step in and become a cam
didate for the speakership nomination.
1t is obvious that no man can be the
presiding officer of both Senate and
House, SO Mr.. Tilson will have to choose
which he plans to make a fight for,
speakership or vice presidency
In the meantime, however, Representa-
tive Bertrand Smell of New York, chair
man of the Rules Committee. who, with
the late Speaker and the ma ajority leader,
made up the "triumvirate" controlling
things in the House, has leaped into
the race for the Speakership nomina-
ton with both feet. He does not have
to make up his mind. He knows it.
He does not have to wait to see whether
Vice President Curtis wishes to succeed
himself as Vice President or prefers to
become Senator again. And there, per-
haps, Mr.. Smell has the advantage over
the majority leader, Col Tilson. OF
course. if Vice President Curtis is going
after a Senate seat, the field will be
open to Col. Tilson, along with other
vice presidential aspirants. In that
event, both Col Tilson and Representa-
tive Smell may be able to attain their
respective ambitions-indeed, they may
even be found working together, instead
of being opponents for the speakership
nomination.
A lot of gentlemen out In Kansas
would like to know what Vice Presi-
dent Curtis plans are. as well as
would Col Tilson. Senator Jim Wat
son and other Republicans who have
been mentioned as vice presidential
possibilities if Mr.. Curtis does not
choose to run again for that Office.
First there are the Republicans who
are thinking of becoming candidates
for Senator Then there is Mr.. Nc
Gill, the Democratic Senator Senator
McGill knows that his chances in a
battle next year against Vice Presl-
dent Curtis would be great deal slim
mer than they would be against some
other candidate. Perhaps Henry Allen,
who served as Senator a short time
under appointment and who was de-
feated by McGill last year., is also
waiting to see what the Vice President
is going to do. Representative Hoch
of Kansas has been said to have sena-
torial aspirations too. But until Mr..
Curtis let's it be known definitely
whether he is to continue as a vice
presidential candidate or whether he
will seek senatorial honors again, none
of them is likely to make move.
Incidentally, in the interest Of the
Republican national ticket, Vice Pres
ident Curtis may be expected to come
to comparatively early decision as to
his future plans. If he waited until
well along next year to say that he
wished to run for the Senate instead of
continuing as a vice presidential can
didate. the psychology would be bad.
Immediately 1t would be broadcasted by
the Democrats that Mr.. Curtis was leav-
ing a sinking ship and seeking SEN
ate contest From the highest sources
in the party it is learned that there is
not the slightest desire on the part of
the G. o. P. to sidetrack Mr.. Curtis
and to take some other candidate for
Vice President next year to run with
President Hoover. Curtis is regarded
as both loyal and strong candidate.
However, it is conceivable that the party
leaders will be glad to know as soon as
possible what the Vice President plans
to do. 1t is expected he will go to
Kansas in May or June and after look
ing the field over, will let it be known
just what he wishes to do.
If Gov. Theodore Roosevelt of Porto
Rico has vice presidential aspirations,
they are something new, and perhaps
grow out of publicity given the sug-
gestion that he Supplant Mr.. Curtis on
the Republican national ticket next
year. He has made exceedingly good
as the American governor of Porto Rico
and 1t is understood that his ambitions
lie in another direction than that of
the vice presidency; that he would like
in the future to become governor gen.
eral of the Philippine Islands, for eX-
ample, and perhaps become known as
the most successful of the Americans
sent overseas to govern the outlying
possessions of the United States.
X X
In connection with the aspirations Of
Representative Smell of New York to be-
come Speaker of tho House, It is pointed
out that the Empire State has not had
a Speaker since 1869, when Theodore
NJ Pomeroy was on March 3 elected
Speaker for a single day at the close of
the Congress. The only other Speaker
from New York during the history of
Congress was John w. Taylor, who pre-
sided over the House during the Nine
teenth Congress, from 1925 to 1927.
Samuel S. Cox of New York was ap-
pointed Speaker pro tempore for few
days in 1876 The argument is put for
ward, therefore, that New York is en-
titled to this honor Furthermore, Mr..
Smell is an upstate New Yorker, from