Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-13
T|LSON IS SILENT
ON SPEAKER POST
G. O. P. in House Want to Let
Nomination of Successor
to LonqWorth Wait.

Republican leaders today turned b
the consideration of the problsm which
confronts them because of the dcatl
of the. late Speaker Nicholas Long
worth.
Representative John @, Tflson o.
Connecticut. majority leader of TIT
House and acknowledged to be thu
logical selection of the Republican,
for Speaker Of the next House, was IL
his Office at the Capitol today. H:
neither announced his candidacy fol
the speakership nomination nor cid hi
deny that he would be a candidate.
1t is understood to be the desire OF
Republicans in the House to, let thf
matter of the speakersaip nomination
drift along for time.
In all probability there will be DC
meeting OF the House until the regular
session which meets the first Monday OF
next December, and in all probability
there will be no caucus of Republicans
of the House until short time before
Congress opens. The Republicans viii
choose their candidate for Speaker at
such a caucus If Mr.. TilSon Is the
selection, it will be necessary also to
pick his successor as majority leader.
While there is opposition ernong some
ST the Republicans fr m the West to the
selection of MIR. Tilson for Speaker, Ii
is understood that Mr.. TilSon Is re-
garded with some favor by Progressive
Republicans in the House.
The Progressive Republicans IN the
Senate, frequently opposed by MIR. TIL
son during the last Congress in legisla-
tive matters. are dead set against Mr.
Tilson's election to the speakershlp
They NAV seek to exert their influence
with Progressive Republicans IN the
House against the Connecticut man.
The claim is ma de in some quarters
that the speakership should go TO the
Middle West. It was pointed out today
however, that Ohio had the speslkeEShlp
during the last three Congresses and
that it might be considered the East s
turn for that homer.
Before the late Speaker Longwcrth
was elected to that ONCE former Sena-
tor Gillette of Massachusetts, was the
Republican Speaker for three terms.
Ohio Election Distant
Mr.. Tils0n was the unanimous choice
of the Republican members OF the
House for majority leader at the last
party caucus. He is popular with MEM
bers of the House and doubt was ex-
pressed today that he could be defeated
for the Epeakership nomination if he
became an active candidate. He has
been q strong supporter of the admin
istration. Furthermore. If Progressive
Republican members Of the Senate
undertake to tell the House members
whom they shall select for Speaker they
may arouse some resentment on the
part Of the House.
T.
the Longworth funeral on Saturday,
both Republican and Democratic. ex-
pressed the view today that Gov. White
would not call q special election to I'll
the vacancy caused by the death of
Speaker LongwoFth until next Novem-
her. when some elections are to be held
anyway. To hold a special election
now would entail expenses which Gov
White is anxious TO avoid. and as there
appears to be no prospect Of a special
session Of Congress this Spring or Sum-
Is not pressing matter.
The Republicans in Cincinnati un-
doubtedly viii nominate a wet TO sue
coed Mr.. Longworth in the House. Even
dry Republicans in Ohio admit it would
be foolish TO dc anything else Senti-
ment in the first Ohio district is
strongly wet. Senator Buckley, Demo-
cratic Senator from Ohio, an advocate
of the repeal Of the eighteenth amend
ment, carried the district against his
dry Republican opponents while Speaker
Rabert Taft Doomed.
The Republicans have made no selec-
ton OF candidate in the first Ohio
district. However, the name Of Robert
TAFT, son of the late President and
Chief Justice, is being mentioned for
the nomination. Mr.. Taft is at present
q member of the State Senate.
He recently drafted a plan of tax
revision which has received favorable
notice and which is to be considered in
the State Legislature when that body
reassembles the last of this month. His
younger brother, Charles Taft. who was
district attorney in Cincinnati. is an
other possible contender for the nomi-
nation
Republicans said today that they be-
l1eve they could carry the first Ohio
district, provided they could avoid fac
tlonal differences in Hamilton County.
The Democrats admitted that the Re-
pubheans had more than an even
chance, since the district has long been
strongly Republican, although Mr.. Long
worth won last Fall by only about 5000
votes.
II business conditions grow worse
instead Of better during the Summer,
however, the Democrats undoubtedly
win have a better chance for victory
then
The Democrats apparently have made
no choice of a candidate for the House
seat IN the Ohio district Pattison, son
Of the former Governor of Ohio, was
the candidate last Fall against Mr..
Longworth. II was not certain that he
will be q candidate again, however, and
some of the Democrats think that a
stronger nominee can be found