The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-01-08

Speaker Garner ASSaiIS
HooSierS of Own Party for
Loss in Eighth District.
CONTEST ACTION LAGS
Albert H. VeStaI, Repub-
Iican, Occupies Seat De-
spite Question.
BIZ Times SpeciaL

By Times Special
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8.-Indiana
Democratic leaders, here for party
festivities, today were discussing
methods by which they might re-
open the languishing contest over
the Eighth district seat in the house,
now held by Albert H. Vestal Re-
publican.
The Hoosier Democrats we're adj
ministered a severe tongue-lashing
Thursday by Speaker John N. Gar
ner. who addressed the visiting
leaders at luncheon given by Rep
reSentative Louis Ludlow of the In
dianapoliS district
II want to speak plainly to you
Indiana Democrats" Garner said,
The people of Indiana elected ten
Democrats to congress, but you only
sent us nine. You let the Repub-
licans steal that other seat. What
want to know is whether or not they
also stole the Democratic candi-
date. The Democratic party is en-
titled to that seat. If the Demo-
cratic candidate is not going to make
a fight, then We should take steps to
declare the seat vacant and hold a
special election in the district"
Earl r. Peters, chairman of the
Democratic state committee of In
diana. who spoke a few minutes
after Garner had concluded his IT,
rade, promised the Speaker to take
immediate steps toward unseating
Vestal as soon as he returns to the
state.
Fails to Push Contest
Claude Ball, the Democrat who
opposed Vestal, filed notice with the
house of representatives soon after
the election that he would contest
the seat. At that time he asked
for a. recount. However. seven
months have elapsed and Ball has
failed to continue the contest.
The luncheon was a Democratic
love feast, given in honor of Thomas
D. Taggart Jr, newly elected Dem
ocratic national committeeman
from Indiana. All nine of the
Democratic representatives were
present.
Ludlow, the host, presided, and
gave all visitors and all representa-
tives an opportunity to speak. The
speeches generally were confined to
prophesies of a Democratic victory
in 1892.
Representative Joe Byrns (Dem.,
Tenn), chairman of the house
committee on appropriations, told
the visiting Indianians what fine
records their Democratic repre-
SentativeS are making.
Speaker Garner, after criticising
Indiana Democratic leadership for
dropping the Ball-Vestal contest,
outlined the party program for
this session, but he said that he
had little hopes of passing any
legislation of far-reaching effect
this session.
Little Hope for Relief
I'VE have Democratic house, a
Republican senate and Repub-
lican president, with that Setup all
legislation must necessarily be by
compromise and agreement. No
effective relief can be expected until
We have a Democratic majority in
both houses of congress and q Dem
ocrat in the White House. We
Democrats in the house will try to
do what we can this session, but 1
fear our efforts will be only
gestures"
Peters planned a luncheon for the
Indiana Democratic representative
today. Tonight the visiting Hoosiers
will attend the annual jackson day
dinner. They will return home
Sunday, following the national COM
mittee meeting Saturday.
Among those present at the
luncheon were:
Ralph Roberts a minority employee: Lin
coin Dixon. member of the United States
aT ssoR c %a5fF whT
Richard Werneke. the latter three of
Terre .Haute: James P, Hornadav: c C.
Pettiiohn. New York: Alex PurSley, Hart
ford CITY: Frank Culbertson. Vincennes:
Elmer Kauper: Representa- ives Ralph Sill
bert. Harry Garfield. Arthur Greenwood.
John W. Boehne Jr., Eugene Grove. Glenn
gill and william H Larrabee; Speaker John
N. Garner: Representa- tive Joseph W.
Bvrns. chairman Of the Democratic. ma
tional congressional campaign committee;
Fred Pickett and Newton NJ. Gowdy. New
castle, and Strickland Gillian, the humor-
list.