Evening star., 1937-07-21
Barkley
Continued From First Page.)

it was said by another administration
leader, would be to confer personally
with the various groups of Democrats
in an effort to work out the most
favorable compromise possible for the
President and his court bill. For that
reason, it was said, it may be two or
three days before final decision is
reached with regard to procedure on
the court bill.
Insist Measure Dead.
Opponents of the court bill contin-
ued to insist today that the measure
was dead. They said that they had
the votes to send it back to commit
tee and let it die there. They were
encouraged greatly by the fact that
eight Democratic Senators, who hith-
erto had been uncommitted, yesterday
announced that unless some compro-
mise was worked out Immediately
they would vote to recommit the bill
Vice President Garner is moving
also to effect a compromise on the
court bill. One Democratic Senator
said the Vice President had suggested
the possibility of eliminating the Su-
preme Court feature of the bill and
passing the remainder. Such a COM
promise, while it would remove from
the measure the most controversial
part, would still leave a number of
provisions Objectionable to opponents
of the bill
The fear is expressed also in some
quarters that if the Senate passed the
bill and sent it to the House, that body
would reinstate the Supreme Court
feature and ask for conference on
it. In that event, the opponents OF the
bill would find themselves in a more
vulnerable position than they do to-
day.
Secret Ballot Taken.
The vote in the Democratic caucus
was taken by secret ballot. This was
done on motion of Senator Byrnes of
South Carolina, who said that such a
ballot would eliminate all charge that
pressure had been brought to bear on
Senators to vote for one or the other of
the candidates.
Senator Pittman Of Nevada. Presi-
dent pro tempore of the Senate, pre-
sided.
At the suggestion of Senator Con-
nally OF Texas the caucus agreed to
hold Barkley and Harrison were in
nomination for the leadership This
eliminated any nominating speeches
and permitted the Senators to get
down to balloting without delay.
When the vote was counted. every
Democrat member of the Senate was
accounted for. Only one was absent.
Senator Bankhead of Alabama, who
wrote a note asking that his vote be
counted for Harrison This was done.
Senator Hayden of Arizona, who has
been patient at the Naval Hospital.
came to the Senate Office Building
especially to take part in the election.
He waited in nearby Office until Just
before the balloting began when he
was escorted into the caucus to take
part. He left Immediately after the
vote.
Vote Made Unanimous.
After the result OF the balloting
had been announced. Senator Harri-
son moved to make the election OF
Barkley unanimous The motion pre-
vailed After short speech of ap-
probation by Barkley, the caucus
adjourned.
Both Senator Barkley and Senator
Harrison were guests of the President
at lunch at the White House today.
There was tremendous interest in
this leadership fight. Many Demo-
cratic Senators had been aroused when
President Roosevelt wrote letter to
Bsrkley, then acting Democratic
leader, demanding that the fight for
the court bill 60 on, and when he
called Barkley to a conference at the
White House and neglected to call
Harrison at the same time. The fol-
lowing day the President had Har-
rison at the White House, explaining
to him that he was entirely neutral
in the leadership contest.
Barkley had been serving as acting
leader because he had been appointed
assistant leader by the late Senator
Robinson of Arkansas, whose place he
has taken. For Is years Robinson
served as the Democratic leader Of the
Senate. Robinson succeeded the late
Senator Underwood of Alabama In the
Democratic leadership
Good Feeling Ruled.