Evening star., 1934-08-23
HOUSE FIGHT DUE
ON FLOOR LEADER
Complex Situation Faces
Democrats-"Seniority"
to Be Forgotten.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

The real issue in the organization
of the next House, for the Seventy
fourth Congress, which meets Janu-
ary 3. will be on the floor leadership
rather than the speakership.
The situation is complicated by
the fact that no one knows yet who
will vote on either office, because
scores of new men are bound to be
elected in November, and there is no
telling at this time how many OF
them will be Democrats
The old House bugaboo of "sen-
iority," which has resulted in the
chairmanships of practically all i'm
portant committees being held by
Southern members, will not be the
determining factor in the selection
of either Speaker or House leader.
Personal Fitness Chief Factor.
Two conditions will determine the
choice-geographica location of the
candidates district and his own per-
sonal fitness for the office-and the
latter will have the most weight.
For the first time in the history OF
Democratic control of Congress the
House membership is going to break
aWay from seniority and progression
precedents-and hunt out the best
man for the job. This was disclosed
by a poll of some of the real wheel
horses of the party, representing all
sections of the country.
Northern Democrats will make a
fight for one of these two most i'm
portant House officeS-and prefer
ably for the House leaderShip-and
already Representative John w. Nc
Cormack of Massachusetts, is re-
ceiving most favorable consideration,
with Representative James M. Mead
of Buffalo, NJ Y, as "runner-up"
and with Representative William w.
Arnold of Illinois as a good COM
promise candidate" :"
Of course, other candidates from
the North are being put forward by
their friends. The dean" of the
House-Representative Adolph j.
SABBATH, with service of % years, is
being mentioned by some members
because he heads the list under SEN
iority and managed Mr.. Raineys
campaign for Speaker.
Representative Lea Put Forward.
But Mr.. SABBATH seems personally
well satisfied with his position on the
party Steering Committee" and on
the Rules Committee. Representative
Clarence F. Lea of California, who is
chairman of the Democratic caucus
and one of the inner circle OF party
counsellors, has served 18 years. His
friends are putting his name in the
list. but he is not personally a can
didate.
Two other Northern men who are
prospective candidates are Represent
ative John j. O'Connor and Repre-
sentative Thomas H. Cullen, both OF
New York. Q'Connor was an an
nounced candidate when Rainey was
chosen. Cullen is leader of the Tam
many delegation and assistant floor
leader.
But all this new deal" discussion
over the two big Offices in the House
does not operate against either of the
two outstanding candidates for either
Speaker or Floor Leader-Represent
ative Joseph w. Byrnes of Tennessee,
House leader in the last Congress and
chairman of the Democratic Congress
sional Campaign Committee, who is
expected to be chosen Speaker, or
Representative William B. Bankhead
of Alabama, chairman of the House
Rules Committee, which is considered
the third most important post in the
House.
Both Well Up on List.
Both are well up in the seniority
list-Bryan with 26 years of consecu-
tive service and Bankhead with 18.
If Byrns is made Speaker and Bank
head floor leader it means a set-up
for each in orderly progression. 1t is
pointed out that throughout the entire
history of Democratic party control
there never has been Speaker who
was not promoted from the floor
leadership
The announcement of Byrns' can
didacy for the Speakership will soon
be made formally by Representative
McReynolds of Tennessee, who
handled the Byrns campaign at the
opening of the Seventy-third Congress
when Rainey and Byrns teamed up to
defeat the field of candidates An
nouncement in Mobile by Representa-
tive John McDuffe that he will not
enter the speakership race this time,
but will support his fellow statesman,
Bankhead, strengthens the latters po-
sition as principal contender against
Byrns-who Is generally believed to
be heir apparent" to the Speakers
rostrum.