Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-12-05
DEMOCRATS NAME
GARNER AND RA|NEy
FOR HOUSE POSTS
Speaker and Floor Leader
Nominees Cheered at Party
Caucus.
STEERING COMMITTEE
ADVOCATES DROP PLAN
Rules Liberalization Is Main Prob.
lem Left in Outlining Program
for House Control.

Without ripple of dissension, House
Democrats today selected Representa-
tives Garner of Texas and Rainey of
Illinois as their candidates for Speaker
and floor leader, respectively.
There was no opposition to either and
the placing in nomination of the names
of the Southerner and the Northerner
loosed a flood of oratory by their
friends. Each was chosen by a loud
chorus of ayes.
Gamers name was placed in nomina-
ton by a colleague from his home
State, Representative Summers. It was
first seconded by Representative Cullen
of New York and then by speakers from
many other States.
Before the balloting began all of the
219 Democratic members were present
at the caucus in the House chamber
with the single exception of the newly
elected Representative Stewart of New
Jersey. Stewart was detained on legal
business, but will be present Monday at
the opening Of Congress, it was an
nounced.
Members Cheer Garner.
The membership arose and cheered
Garner as he entered the well of the
chamber to acknowledge his nomina-
ton. The demonstration lasted for
several minutes.
After the cheering subsidized the name
Of Rainey was placed in nomination for
floor leader by Representative SABBATH
of Illinois.
The election of Rainey was assured
by the withdrawal several days ago of
O'Connor of New York and McDuf1e OF
Alabama, along with the other con-
tenders. Both O'Connor and McDufie,
in behalf of party harmony, seconded
his nomination today.
When the Democrats assembled for
their caucus this morning, there was
but one remaining major point of dis
pute to be settled.
Announcement by advocates of
Democratic Steering Committee which
would serve as a council of war, that
they would not press that point before
the caucus left the proposed liberaliza-
ton of the House rules as the only re-
naming important question still in
dispute
The decision not to press the Steer
ing Committee proposal came after a
conference between Garner and group
headed by Representative Byrns of Ten
nessee. The group had planned to force
the matter to an issue. Garner opposed
the plan.
Calls Session to Order.
Representative Arnold of Illinois, sec
rotary of the caucus, called the meeting
to order. and shortly afterward was
elected chairman of the caucus by
reclamation.
McClintic of Oklahoma then was
elected secretary, and Mrs. Mary T.
Norton of New Jersey assistant secretary.
Joe Sinnott, veteran Democratic en-
ploye, was elected sergeant at arms Of
the conference.
by the caucus to fill the various posi-
tions as follows:
Clerk, South Trimble; sergeant at
arms, Kenneth Rommey; doorkeeper,
Joe Sinnott, and postmaster, FINS
Scott.
Rev. DR.. James Shera Montgomery
was reelected chaplain.
Prepare Program.
Prior to today's caucus House Demo-
Gratis had started preparing with their
Senate colleagues a broad legislative
program, which they hope to make q
pre-convention platform, laying before
the people Of the country the party'S
ideas TOR economic betterment. A more
immediate purpose was to head off, II
possible, disorganized chase after leg
1Slatlon which cannot pass.
The Senate Republicans, organized
yesterday without aid of their indie
pendent element, were confident Of
controlling their chamber by virtue OF
majority, despite internal friction over
the President pro tenn, Senator Moses
of New Hampshire
The prohibition vote advocates threw
their weight behind the generally sup
ported loosening of House rules, while
the group of independents, Republican
and Democrat and Farmer-Labor,
pledged itself to support the most lib
eral program offered
section of the Senate Republicans
settled down to decide whether to try
reducing the Democratic contingent by
barring John H. Bankhead of Alabama,
whose seat is contested. Two other
Southerners will not be at the first ses-
sion Monday, so in any case Repubh-
cans are nearly sure of controlling or
ganization.
Jumping the gun, hundreds of mem
berS OF both House and Senate already
have filed with their clerks about 5000
bills on every imaginable topic An
enormous proportion of these can al
ready be counted dead, however, when
it is realized that the not unprolifc last
Congress enacted only 1924 laws.