Evening star., 1936-12-27
HOLT MAY LOSE
PATRONAGE PLACE.
West Virginia Senator Will
Be Punished for Fight
With w. P. A..
~ the Associated Press.

~ tne ASsooiHteu FIess.
Democratic regulars In the Senate
moved yesterday to punish Senator
Rush d. Holt. youthful and rebellious
Democrat from West Virginia.
Holt. who waged Q strenuous night
with Harry L. Hopkins w. p. A.. and
who unsuccessfully opposed the re-
election Of his Democratic colleague.
Senator M. M. Nicely of West Virginia.
announced through his ONCE here
that he had received notice that he
would be deprived of certain patron
age privileges that had been assigned
to him.
Holt announced he had received the
following letter from Senator Carl
Hayden, Democrat. Of Arizona. chair
man Of an unoficial Democratic COM
mittee which controls such patronage
jobs as Capitol Hill policemen and
elevator operators:
1T has become my duty to advise
you that when Congress convenes In
January you will in all probability
be deprived Of the patronage positions
now assigned to you.
From expressions made to me by
Democratic Senators. this action Will
be taken as q result of two facts.
First. because you gave comfort. If
not aid. to those who were seeking
TO defeat the Democratic national
ticket and also opposed the election
Of a Democrat to the United States
Senate.
Second. because there are newly
elected Senators who wholeheartedly
supported the Democratic party at
the last election and who therefore
have 4 sound claim to patronage posi-
tions among the attaches Of the
Senate.
II am sending you this letter in
order your appointees may not be
surprised when they are removed from
the places they now occupy.
Il hope in the meantime they will
be able to fnd other suitable posi-
tions."
Holt's only comment on Hayden's
letter was:
II see the era of good feeling has
begun"
Holt's ofice said he had made three
Appointments which apparently would
be affected by Hayden's letter-two
policemen and one elevator operator
Center q Controversy.
Holt, who came to the Senate in
1885 as its youngest member since
Henry Clay, has been . frequent CEN
ter Of controversy.
"AASAA kAfana hA IN Al
the minimum age required by the
Constitution for Senate membership,
he waited until he attained that age
to take the oath Of ONCE.
Even then, however, 1t was not
until two days of constitutional debate
that the Senate voted 81 to II to
seat him.
At that time his colleague, Senator
Nicely. whom he later accused of die
tating w. p. A. appointments in their
home State. accompanied him to the
rnstrum to take the oath.
Hollis first Senate vote was for the
Bsnkhead bill to Aid farm tenants.
Some Of his first speeches criticized
public utility holding companies and
the natural gas industry.
Last session he demanded q sena-
torial investigation Of the Works Prog
ress Administration, assailing condi-
tions he said existed in West Virginia
and Pennsylvania. He said Hopkins
was doing more to destroy President
Roosevelt than any other man in
this country"
Hopkins Denied Charge.
Replying. Hopkins denied any West
Virginia w. P. A. worker had been
given job through political influence.
The W. p. A. chief also upheld the
dismissal OF the young Senator's broth
er as q w. p. A. engineer
Opposing Neely's reelection, Holt
charged that w. p. A. workers were
eoerced into voting for Nicely In his
successful primary campaign.
In the midst of the presidential
campaign, Holt had . luncheon con-
ference with Gov. ALI M. LAndon, the
Republican nominee, and told report
ers afterward he was ''favorably i'm
pressed" with him.
Since the election he has demanded
. Senate inquiry into Federal relief
before Congress votes any more money
for that purpose.