Evening star., 1937-02-24
THREE NEW HOUSE
POSTS TO Be OPEN
Taylor Change Affects Ap-
preparations Subcommit-
tee ChairmanShips.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.


The decision of the veteran Repre-
sentative, Edward T. Taylor OF Colo
RADIO, to relinquish the chairmanshlp
of all subcommittee and, as chairman
of the House Appropriations Commit
tee, to reserve his strength for confer
enceS with Government officials ana
the handling of appropriation policy
and general management of alloca-
ton of funds, means the selection OF
three new subcommittee chairmen.
Representative Clifton A. Woodrum
of Virginia is expected to relinquish
the Craftsmanship of the Independent
Offices Appropriation Subcommittee to
take over the duties of chairman OF
the Subcommittee on Deficiencies.
which has heretofore been the juris-
diction of the chairman of the General
Appropriations Committee.
Representative Jed Johnson of Okla
homa is expected to become chairman
OF the Independent Offices, as success
sor to Representative Woodrum.
Representative James G. Scrugham
OF Nevada former Governor of that
State, is expected to take over the ar
duouS task of handling the Interior
Department appropriation bill. which
for the last four years has been the
duty of Taylor.
Under the seniority rule there has
been a prospect that Representative
johnson might become the new chair
man on the Interior Department BILL
but Taylor, noted for years as the
leader of the Western faction in the
House. is determined that on account
of reclamation and other problems of
particular interest in the Interior bill
that the chairman of this subcommit-
tee must be real Westerner."
Scrugham's Qualifications.
Representative Scrugham is consid-
cred ideally qualified for his position.
He is now outranked on that sub
committee by Chairman Taylor and
Representative johnson. With Taylor
dropping off the subcommittee, Scrug-
ham is the real Westerner remaining
on the Interior Subcommittee. A new
Democratic member from the far
West will be added to the subcommit-
tee.
In jumping up to chairman of the
Deficiencies Subcommittee Represen-
tatlve Woodrum goes from third place
In the committee seniority ranking,
with the late Representative Bu-
chanan and Representative Taylor
dropping off the subcommittee. This
leaves two places to be filled by Demo-
Gratis. Representative Boylan of New
York ranks next to Woodrum.
The promotion of Representative
johnson to Craftsmanship of the Inde-
pendent Offices Subcommittee makes
Representative Fitzpatrick of New
York the next ranking Democrat and
opens a place for appointment of a
new Democratic member to this sub
committee.
The death of Representative Bu-
ehanan has delayed the report on the
Navy appropriation bill and the call
ing up of this measure in the House.
1t was to have been reported tomor-
row and taken up Immediately for
discussion. Representative Umstead of
North Carolina, chairman of the COM
mlttee, promptly announced that he
would not bring his bill into the House
until after Mr.. Buchanans funeral
Representative Woodrum has served
IA years in Congress. He practiced
law for IA years and was elected
Commonwealth attorney and unani-
mously elected to the bench of the
Hastings Court, where he served for
four years before coming to Congress.
Both Newspaper Men.
Representatives johnson and Scrug-
ham are both newspaper men and
served in the American Expeditionary
Forces during the World War. Mr..
johnson took courses at the Univer-
Sty of Clermont, France, was a civil
service employe and a salesman. He
Is lawyer, served two terms in the
State Senate and was delegate from
the United States Congress to the
tWenty-fourth annual Peace Confer
ence OF the 1nterparliamentary Union
in Paris In 1927 and attended SINH
lar peace conference in Geneva. He
was chairman of the Speakers Bureau
OF the Democratic National Congress
sional Committee.
Representative Scrugham is an en-
glneer by profession. He was Cover
nor of Nevada from 1928 to 1927. He
published the Nevada State Journal
for five years. He served as State
engineer before he was Governor. He
was commissioned as major in the
United States Army in 1917 and sub
sequently promoted to lieutenant
colonel. He was one of the incorpo-
rators of the American Legion. COM
mander of the Nevada department
and national vice commander. He was
commanding officer of the 517th Reg
iment Of Coast Artillery. He was re-
elected to the present Congress by
the largest majority ever given a can
didate for the Office in Nevada.