, 1934-11-20
WASHINGTON
by George Durno

WASHINGTON
by George Durno
King--With ak weeks OF trad
Ing. c0rnbing - and even double
crosslng-still 70 70 II would be .
brave man who would predict
finally and definitely the makeup
OF the next House leadership.
Rep. Joe Byrns Of Tenn last
sessions Democratic floor leader,
apparently commands the battle
20 succeed the late Henry T..
Rainey as Speaker.
II you're betting In the winter
books, don't overlook the possibility
Of q combination that will return
sam Rayburn, Of Texas. a. Speaker:
John Mccormack, or Mass, as new
Majority Floor Leader, and VIII
Bankhead, OF Ala, 10 continue IN
his present Job as chairman or the
powerful House Rules Committee.
Seven Democrats have entered
the race against Byrns for the
Speakership. Besides Rayburn and
Bankhead, Rankin of Miss, Lea Of
Calf. SABBATH OF Ill, Mead OF New
York, and Green OF Fla. are I'm Oh
II. Rayburn and Bankhead COM
mand trading possibilities The re-
mainder are negligible quantities
except insofar rs the big national
bosses may be able TO trade the
New York and Illinois delegations.
Northern and Western Demo-
Gratis have begun to demand recoR-
milton because they outnumber the
6outherners 2 20 1 as a result OF
the recent election. On the sur
face those west and north of the
Mason-Dixon Line are complaining
the South Is IN the saddle" pArti-
cularly Texas, from whence hail
Vice President Garner and the
chairman-by seniority Of seven
House committees. The grapevine
persists they = merely building a
lire to grab off the floor leadership
for one OF their number.
Din't forget, aspreviously pointed
out In this column, that such VIC
torious state bosses as Guffey OF
Pa. Prendergast OF Mo, IEoe OF Ill.
Curley Of Mass, Mullen OF Neb.,-
and Farley OF ~. will have con-
siderable 70 say abut the final out
come.
Age-Byrns is IA and not as W.
gorous an he used 10 be. There was
considerable sott0-v0ce criticism
from administration circles last ses-
sion OF the manner In which he
and Rainey almost let the House
get away from them on several
occasions.
Rayburn on the other hand Is
81. II has been whispered repeated
" the White House would Like to
see him handling the gavel. lie Is
g pr0tege OF Vice President Gar
nerS. Ray Moley went all the way
TO Texas a few weeks ago to huddle
with Garner and Rayburn.
Bankhead now co.'s regarded
as one Of the ablest parliamentary
ans IN the House. He lost out Two
years ago In the SpeakerShip race
against Rainey. Recently he mas
not been in the best Of health.
If Friends OF John O'Connor.
Tammany member from New YORK,
are putting him forward as floOl
leader. He Is the brother or Dashil
O'Connor. one-time law partner Of
FDR.
OConnnor can trade profitably-
II he can deliver the tammany
delegation. He Is ranking Demo-
cratic member OF the Rules Com
mittee under Bankhead and should
the latter be stepped up either as
Speaker or Leader, O'Connor would
become Chairman OF Rules. The
questionable "ifr here IA whether
O'Connor can swing q sizeable blov
in his own state delegation.
Jim Farley figures TO have a GEN
tie voice IN the way the New York
boys run and vote.
Combine - McC ormack OF Mass.
n still IN his 4O'S. He has been IN
the House since the 7Oth Congress,
before which he served . years IN
the Massachusetts, Assembly and A
Years IN the state Senate. During
The last two years IN the Bay state
senate he was Democratic Flo0
Leader.
There Is growing evidence that q
deal Ia on whereby Rayhurn and
Mccormack will run the next
House. II Is possible TO add I'D q
combination OF votes whereby they
would need 70 pick up only 40 70
30 additional 10 be assured Of elec~
ton.
And this combination would Be
q buster for Joe Byrns to over
come.
LIcks- The toughest JOB Prgsi-
dent Roosevelt's coordinat0rs are
having Is keeping peace under the
surface among such New Dealers
as Public Works Administrator Icks,
Relief administrator Hopkins, RFC
Chairman Jesse Jones and Federal
Housing Administrator Moffett.
50 far ~ the public eye Is con-
cerned. al n serene among these
gentlemen. Those on the inside
say they don't stroke N altogether