Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-10
Clearly Indicates Refusal to
Comply in Message Ex-
peCted Today.
NEW BATTLE FORECAST
! ON RECALL OF THREE
Watson Prepared to Keep Body in
Session to Await Presidents
Answer.

President Hoover informed Senate
leaders he expected to reply today to
the resolution requesting the return of
three power commissioners nomi-
nations.
Mr.. Hoover also indicated quite clearly
that he did not intend to comply.
The commissioners are Chairman
George Otis Smith of Maine, Marcel
Garsaud of Louisiana and Claude l.
Draper of Wyoming. They previously
were confirmed by the Senate and have
taken Office.
Senator Watson, the Republican
leader, was prepared to keep the Sen
ate in session today awaiting the reply
of Mr.. Hoover. 1t is expected at the
Capitol to be signal for a new battle
between the President and the coalition
of Senate Democrats and Republican
independents.
The President requested Attorney
General Mitchell for an opinion even
before the Senate resolution reached
his desk. The latter dropped all else at
once.
Further Action Planned.
Meanwhile advocates of the motion
for recall-sponsored by Walsh, Demo-
Crat. of Montana-were considering
plans for further action in event the
President rejects the request which was
adopted yesterday.
Senator Walsh said off the floor that
as a legal proposition the three men
are no longer commissioners, but as a
practical proposition there is no way OF
getting them out unless the President
IN ha a
assume he will"
Despite the contention of the Mon
4anan that the commissioners were
legally out of Office, their nominations
were not on the Senate's calendar of
executive business for reconsideration.
The coalition of Democrats and Re-
publican independents, which opposed
the Hoover policies on tariff and farm
relief in the last session, again combined
to override the administration forces on
the Walsh motion and another battle
royal between the President and the
rebellious Senate is in prospect.
Consider Refusing Funds.
Refusal to vote appropriations for the
commission was under consideration by
the Senate foes of the three commits
sioners This action was being con-
Eidered by number of Senators, in
Guiding Dill, Democrat. Washington,
and Brookflart, Republican, Iowa,
though Walsh said he wanted to talk
with other members of the group before
deciding.
Walsh said he takes the view the
President can keep the three men on
the commission if he wants to, regard
less of the Senate'S vote, and that no
legal action can be brought to compel
him to comply with the Senate's
request.
Senator Blease, Democrat, South
Carolina, said in the Senate, shortly
after it convened, he hoped "Presi-
dent Hoover, for once in his life, will
prove himself a man and refuse" to
send the Power Commission nomina-
tions back to the Senate.
Although he voted against confirma-
ton Of the commissioners in the first
place, Blease contended the Senate, "as
true sportsmen, had no right to ask
the President to return the ball after
they had fumbled it to him"
He also argued the President had
Sno jurisdiction" in the matter now
that the men were in Office.
The resolution for the recall of the
nominations of the three commission
ers was adopted by a 44-to-37 vote.
During the debate Smith. Garsaud
and Draper were taken TO task for the
dismissal of two commission workers
Solicitor Charles 4. Russell and Chief
Accountant william V. King. Some adj
yocates of the resolution contended the
commissioners had been influenced in
this by power interests
Senator Dill, Democrat, Washington
commended the Republican party was
being Swayed by what he termed 1.-THE
power trust"
Foes of the resolution argued the dis
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