The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-15
BY HERBERT LITTLE
limited Press STAFF Correspondent

United Press STAFF Correspondent
WASHINGTON, April 15.-Nich-
olas Longworth's political crisis
came in the years 1910-14
He lived in a political turmoil
which nearly retired him perma-
nently from public life.
Only the strong Republican po-
litical organization in which he had
worked for years saved him.
Regarded by many as fop, he
was not widely liked in the rough
and ready house. He had the han
dicap of being son-in-law Of Theo-
dore Roosevelt.
Recognizing this, in later years,
LongWorth helped organize a SON
in-laWs club, with other notable
men who married into more notable
families and he expressed sympathy
for w. G. McAdoo following the
Wilson White House marriage of a
later day.
Nick Never Wavered
Longworth's allegiances pulled
him in diverse directions and the
party TO which he had maintained
firm allegiance seemed on the verge
Of disintegrating.
one of the active leaders, Presi-
dent Taft, split with his father-tr-
law. Taft and another leader,
Speaker Cannon, we're hardly on
speaking terms. Taft fought with
the Republican senate chieftains,
too.
But Longworth never Wavered. He
stayed a regular Republican, even
through the Bull Moose split, which
cost him his seat in the house for
two years.
He maintained his equilibrium
while Alice Longworth publicly was
attacked for smoking cigarets. She
continued to smoke.
stnI Led Society World
Away from the Capitol halls. how
ever, there was harum-scarum play
in. which Nick and Alice were lead
ers. ,-t...
Military Aid Archie Butt records
that one night after leaving the
White House he stopped at the
Longworths to find Alice reading
the Song of Solomon" to a select
audience.
Major Butt said that in retalia-
ton for his roughness the party
later tried to enter his home to dis
arrange his furniture, whereupon
he dumped ice water on their heads
from an upstairs window.
Alice fired back verse, ridiculing
him mercilessly as q White House
slave.
After the 1912 debacle, Longworth
returned to Cincinnati where he al
ways maintained a residence at the
family home, lockwood, and mend
ed his political fences in earnest.
Started on Way Again
In two years the pendulum swung,
and Longworth was elected to the
sixty-fourth congress.
Under the seniority rule, how
ever, he had lost all the high
standing in committee assignments
won by his previous decade OF con-
greSSlOIlal service.
He started in at the bottom to
build up his power to a higher point
than before. Longworth was 46.
His knowledge of parliamentary
law, his interest in tax and tariff
matters, his energy and resource
fulness. made him valuable mem
Der of the minority party.
The Democratic majority was
moving rapidly on tariff and bank
ing reforms, and there was little
glory and much work in the job
of opposing Woodrow Wilson.
Adopted Big Navy Policy
Europe was enbroiled in war and
the United States was excited over
it.
Longworth adopted Roosevelt's
big-navy and preparedness policies,
and advocated them in congress and
elsewhere while the still popular
Roosevelt was shouting the same
ideas from newspaper pages daily.
On top of the heap, Wilson
speaking for peace, prevailed until
the Lusitania was sunk by Ger
man submarine.
Longwortll often recalled the 1902
Venezuela incident when Roosevelt
told the German ambassador he
would send Admiral Dewey down
with the fleet If Germany, with a
battleship already off Caracas, re-
fused to arbitrate its claims there.
Had Roosevelt not acted, Long
worth said after the World war,
Germany would in all probability
have established a naval base close
70 the site of the Panama canal"
Supported War Measures
I remember once" Longworth
said of the pre-war period, Il voted
for four battlesllips when then
distinguished Democratic leader
urged eloquently we should have no
navy at all, because New York har-
Dor could be defended by rowboats.' .
He. supported war measures, voted
with regret for the declaration OF
war, and criticised the way the
Democrats ran it.
A-@S wa c440So d44O rOOoSSN64G
died. The Republicans gained
control OF the house in 1913 and
Longworth had power.
In 1921 Harding, from Ohio, en-
tered the White House and Long
worth mounted higher.
The Republican chieftains of his
early days were getting old and he
came into his own.