Evening star., 1934-12-15

rated the job when Mr.. Rainey, the
Central Illinois patrician, died. Mr..
Byrns had climbed to this right OF
succession through long and patient
party service up to the rank OF floor
leader. Furthermore, he was popular
with the boys
There never would have been any
serious argument about it, had not
bright young man. Sam Rayburn, dis
tinguished himself in handling New
Deal legislation during the past two
years. Mr.. Rayburn heard himself
mentioned by some of President
Roosevelt's closest advisers as a man
who should be the next New Deal
Speaker. There was no question that
he was a fair-haired lad around the
White House. On the basis of circum-
stantial evidence that the White
House wanted him. he got into the
fight several months ago.
He withdrew suddenly, without any
public explanation, last Wednesday,
and Immediately hoped a train for
secluded destination.
Needed New Support.
This is what happened: Mr.. Byrns
and Mr.. Rayburn closely canvassed
the Democratic side of the House.
Mr.. Byrns got upwards of 100 votes
pledged. Mr.. Rayburns friends soon
found he could not win unless the
dig Farley -Guffey Tammany controlled
delegations from New York, Pennsyl-
vania and elsewhere came through
for him.
"A high official who looked very
much like Commerce Secretary Roper
hoped train for Texas about four
weeks ago and secretly talked to Mr..
Garner, the Vice President.
Perhaps, as a result OF that con-
persdtion or otherwise, Mr.. Garner
returned to Washington long be-
fore he needed to, and tDds giUen
the job OF keeping the speakership
candidates away from the White
House.
If Mr.. Garner was also secretly as
signed the task Of getting his fellow
Texan and White House favorite
elected Speaker, some one forgot to
tell Mr.. Farley or Mr.. Guffey about it.
A few days after Mr.. Garner started
to work, Mr. Guffey's Pennsylvania
delegation came out unanimously for
Byrnes. That ruined whatever chance
Mr.. Rayburn had and assured election
of Mr. Byrns.
Some of Mr.. Rayburn's lieutenants
were amazed at Mr.. Guffey's action.
They had been led to believe that the
worst they could expect from Penn
sylvania was an unpledged delegation.
And where was the White House?
Mr.. Guffey Explains 1t.
A friend of Mr.. Guffey explained
that he found his boys were strong
for Byrns and he did not want to
start off his career in Washington by
having them vote him down.
The White House explanation was
that it could not participate in a
strictly House beauty contest like the
speakership race, that it took no hand
in the matter one way or another.
The public record will bear that out.
Epery one. including Mr.. Ray
burn, could see he Uas licked.
His withdrawal induced some of
Mr.. Byrns' friends to talk about
letting bygones be bygones, and
making Mr.. Rayburn floor leader,
the consolation prize.
There was not much of a swelling
of sentiment for that solution be-
cause every one realized Mr.. Byrns
and Mr.. Rayburn probably would get
along like Carter Glass and Huey
Long. The situation called for floor
leader with whom Byrns would work
closely.
At any rate, that is the story to
date of how Mr.. Byrns caught the No.
job and Mr.. Rayburn caught q
train.
You can write your own moral
for it.