Evening star., 1936-12-27
LEADERSHIP FIGHT
ABOVE UNIT rule
Nichols Says Support o1
"SoIid South" Will Be
Divided.
ny WILL p. KENNEDY.

The unit rule" adopted by some
State delegations will have no effect
in the House caucus, where each
member casts his vote individually
and in secret for the majority leader
ship, Representative Jack Nichols OF
Oklahoma, one Of the campaign man
ayers for Representative John J.
O'Connor OF New York for that office,
emphasized in q statement made pub
lie last night.
At the same time Representative
Martin F. Smith of Washington Is
sued . statement declaring his sup
port Of Representative Sam Rayburn
Of Texas. the chief contender against
oConnor.
Representative Nichols claimed that
the support Of the solid South will
Be divided-that with four of these
States having not yet caucused,
oConnor already has IS votes pledged
and will in the final result receive as
many votes in the South as does Mr..
Rayburn."
In an analysis Of some Northern
States. Nichols credited Rayburn with
having "a votes and no more and
challenged the Rayburn forces to show
to the contrary.
Lists States in Prediction.
IN California Rayburn will not get
over votes of the 16." he said. Ray
burn has votes in Iowa, / In Illinois.
in New England, in Maryland and
in Montana-and will not get over
10 votes Of the 81 in Pennsylvania.
1T would be of interest to know
where else in the entire country Mr..
Rayburn has any votes. II he has
any more, it has never been disclosed
by any Of his supporters"
Representative Nichols also pointed
out that the President had felt it
necessary to declare emphatically that
ne is strictly hands of" in the fight
over the House leadership, and that
he had repudiated the campaign
propaganda that Rayburn was the
administrations choice for the office.
Nichols said:
I'm the face Of what has been hap
pening for the last few days. it is
amusing to me to note that friends
Of Sam Rayburn continue to refer
10 him as the candidate with admin
istration backing. because if I have
been able to properly interpret the
Presidents statement. Mr.. Rayburn
Is as far from having administration
support as 1t would be possible for
any one to be.
Hands or" Policy Cited.
IF John O'Connor found himself
IN the position of Mr.. Rayburn. claim
ing to be the candidate Of the White
House. would consider that John
IN his first press conference on his
return to the United States. when he
stated emphatically that the admin
istrations policy would continue to
b . hand-off policy In the organi-
nation Of the House Of Representatives,
and would not take sides directly or
Indirectly. That clearly refuted Mr..
Rayburn's claim to administration
support.
IF John were in that position !
would b rather disheartened, be-
cause It would be my Judgment that
John had been spanked for being q
bad boy In telling stories about things
that he possessed, which in reality
hs did not have. and that he must
b punished for getting votes or any
other thing by Misrepresentation.
Therefore, instead Of Mr.. Ray
burn. 1t this time. enjoying admin
istration support. the world has been
advised that the administration will
not support him.
"vice President Garner might now
also feel some chagrin :or not hav-
ing refuted the inferences coming
from the Rayburn camp and news
articles that by his Endorsement of
Rayburn he was speaking the senti-
ment Of the administration. and si-
lently permitting the impression to
remain until the President changed
It by his statement to the press"