Evening star., 1934-11-25
SPEAKER CONTEST
GROWING WARMER
Rayburn Is Reported to Be
Strong Competitor-Lead.
ership Involved.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

BY WILL p. KENNEDY.
The contest for speakership and
House leadership in the incoming
Congress is warming up-with a real
fight promised.
Word is being passed along to re-
turning members that Representative
Sam Rayburn of Texas. chairman of
the Committee on Interstate and
Foreign Commerce, is going to be
strong competitor, and probably with
the support of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee.
Representative John w. Mccormack
of Massachusetts, member OF the
WAYS and Means Committee and
chairman of the special committee
investigating un-American activities,
is generally conceded to have the best
prospects for House leader, although
he has not yet announced himself as
a candidate In the meantime, Rep
reSentative Arthur H. Greenwood of
Indiana, party whip, and member
of the Rules Committee, has sent
letters to Democratic members asking
their support for the leadership.
Many Candidates.
There are a half dozen announced
candidates for Speaker, While other
members are said to be expecting to
enter the lists. Those who have an
nounced include Representative Robert
A. Green, Florida. chairman OF the
Committee on Disposal OF Useless
Papers; Representative John E. Ran
kin, Mississippi, chairman OF the
Committee on World War Veterans
Legislation; Representative Robert
Crosser of Ohio. who has served 10
years and is a member OF Interstate
and Foreign Commerce Committee;
REPRESENTATIVE William B. Bankhead,
who has served 18 years consecutively;
Representative James M Mead, New
York. chairman of the Post Once
Committee: Representative Sam Ray
burn. who has served p years con-
secutivelyr and Representative Joseph
w. Bvrns. who has served p years
consecutively. Representative John j.
O'Connor of New York, ranking DEM
ocrat on the Rules Committee. is said
to be a tentative aspirant for the
speakership.
In the seniority list Representative
Adoph SABBATH of Illinois ranks hrst
with % years service, and has been
mentioned for the SpeakerShlp, put
his name is not expected to be pre-
sented to the caucus. Next in line
come Byrns and Representative Ed
ward T Taylor of Colorado each with
26 wears of service-but Taylor has
announced that he is not a candloate
and will support Byrns. Then comes
Representative Robert L. Doughton
of North Carolina, chairman OF the
WAYS and Means Committee, who also
will not be a candidate. In the next
group with % years of service come
Representative James P. Buchanan
of Texas. chairman of the Approprla-
tions Committee; Representative An
drew j. Montague Of Virginia, mem
ber OF the Judiciary Committee; Rep
resentative Rayburn, Representative
Hatton w. Summers of Texas, chair
man Of the Judiciary Committee and
Representative Carl Vinson of Georgia,
chairman of the Naval Affairs Com
mittee. Seniority generally IS an I'M
portant factor in the election OF a
Speaker. although at present some
members are spreading the idea that
any man, even an incoming new men,
ber-such as Michael Igoe of Illinois
might be seriously considered.
Fight Warns Up.
With members returning to Wash
ington, and with the approach OF the
date of the party caucus, a couple OF
days before Congress meets on Janu-
ary 8, and with returns coming in from
letters sent out by the various aSpir-
ants and their friends-the speaker
ship fight is warming up. There are
several caucuses of State delegations.
notably Pennsylvania. scheduled for
the coming week. 1t is predicted that
within two weeks there will be
pretty definite showing Of the support
of the leading candidates. At present
none of the candidates makes any
numerical claim.
Representative Byrns expresses the
utmost confidence" that he will be the
choice of his party for Speaker, and
says that he is even more confident
since the recent congressional cleo
ton which is bringing so many new
Democratic members.
making no claims except to say that
he feels he has a good chance for
election, his friends who have been
in conference with folks very close
to the administration, to Campaign
Manager Farley. and members of the
Democratic National Committee, are
intimating that the Texan may be the
administration choice.
Rayburn is protege of Vice Presi-
dent Garner and was stanch sup
porter of Representative McDufhe of
Alabama, who was runner up for
Speaker when the House was organ
lied two years ago. polling l12 votes
against l63 for Rainey. when New
York voted en- bloc swinging the
election. Those behind the campaign
of Rayburn are striving particularly
to get three or four of the largest
State delegations. Texas itself has
81, and with New York, Pennsylvania,
California, Virginia and other State
delegations could go in the Demo-
cratic caucus as a strong contender.
AS yet, in advance of the State eau
cuses, none can tell how the members
will vote.
1t is also being whispered that part