Evening star., 1932-12-04
CULLEN MENTIONED
AS HOUSE LEADER
Successor to Garner Also
Discussed at Congressional
Group Conferences.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

BY WILL p. KENNEDY.
The prospect that Representative
Thomas H. Cullen of New York, the
boss of the Tammany contingent in
the House, may become House leader in
the next Congress is one Of the i'm
portant new suggestions discussed in
group conferences held by returning
House members, seeking adjustment oil
the many and complicated problems
regarding organization of the prepon-
derantly Democratic House in the Sev-
enty-third Congress.
Who will succeed Representative
John N. Garner as Speaker when he
becomes Vich President is but one OF
these problems, but there is to be a
close working agreement regarding
Speaker and House leader before either
election takes place-and sectionahsm
enters into the equation. 1t is pretty
well agreed that both Speaker and
House leader will not come from either
the North or the South. The Northern
and Western interests may be willing
to let the speakership go to the South
again, if a member from the Nortn
is made legislative leader.
That is where the possible candidacy
of Representative Cullen comes in. He
has a keen understanding of the legis-
lative interests Of Northern business
men and it is pointed out that he
should prove a good man for contact
between the new President and the
House.
Representative John w. McCormack
of Massachusetts, is another able younger
member on the Ways and Means COM
mittee, who is being mentioned promi-
nently for the House leadership.
Speakership Candidates.
Of course, all this hinges a great
deal on whom the majority of the
Democratic members decide to support
for Speaker. While there are number
of aspirants for the position the contest
seems to lie between House Leader
Rainey Of Illinois. who is in line for
the promotion; Chairman Joseph w
Byrns (Tennessee) of the Appropria-
tions Committee and Representative
John McDufie of Alabama, who was
chairman of the special Economy Com
mittee and of the joint Committee to
Study Veterans Expenditures.
If Rainey is not elected Speaker he
may be continued as House leader, or
he may be allowed to take the chair
manship of the Ways and Means Com
mittee, which becomes vacant with the
departure of both Chairman Collier OF
Mississippi and Crisp of Georgia, who
has already withdrawn. While Mr..
Ratney's supporters claim he is assured
of election to the speakership there
are other party leaders who feel the
Craftsmanship of the Ways and Means
COMMITTEES would prove a good position
for him. This would avoid complica-
tion, because Representative Robert l.
Doughton of North Carolina is mex!
in line under the seniority rule for
the Craftsmanship. If neither Rainey
or Doughton becomes chairman Rep
resentative Heartsill Ragon of Arkansas
is next in line.
Few Changes Seen.
Although there has been considerable
talk that the seniority rule may be
upset and that a more equal diStribu-
tion of chairmanships of important
committees as between the North and
the South, it is pretty certain as a
result of group conferences already helo
that there will be no drastic change
from the old established order.
Congress will be the biggest overhauling
of committees in the entire history OF
Congress. The nearest approach was
in the SiXty-seventh Congress. where
there were 300 Republicans, 1872 Demo-
Gratis and l third party man. The di-
vision in the new House Is 3l3 Demo-
Gratis, 1T Republicans and Farmer
Labor This figures out 72 per cent
Democrats, 81 per cent Republicans and
l per cent third party.
In order to provide places on COM
mittees for all these Democrats it will
mean party proportions on committees
will have to be changed.
Veterans Will Be Advanced.
The enlarging of the Democratic
members on the committee in the
seniority scale and would allow many
present members of the House to be
! shifted from less important committees
| to the major committees. Such shift
as that might open up some vacancies
| in committee chairmanships-a the
death of Representative Linthicum oi
Maryland brings Representative Sam
| d. McReynolds of Tennessee into the
Craftsmanship of the Foreign Affairs
Committee, in the incoming lame
duck" session. In this way there will
be opening for new members to gel
positions ranking well up on some OF
the minor committees which are of spe-
cial Importance in their home districts
1t is likely to mean a quite extensive
change on the House District Commit
| tee, which handles all legislation af-
| fecting the National Capital.
While the Republicans haven't the
speakership and House leadership prob
lem to solve, and although they will
| have their membership on all important
committees greatly reduced, they. too
will have good sized job to make up
their slate of committee appointments
While the Democrats have at least four
announced candidates for Speaker the
Republicans will have only one-Repre-
! sentative Bertrand H. Snell-which is
mere formality. and Mr.. Smell will
continue to be floor leader of the mi
nority.
Republicans Missing.
The Republican membership on al
| important committees was slaShed by