The Washington times., 1938-08-05
BARKLEY DEFEAT.
WOULD REALIGN.
SENATE CHIEFS.
Leader. Committee
Posts Affected
BY EARL GOODWIN

II Senator Barkley Is defeated
in Kentucky tomorrow it will be
like yanking the keystone from
some tall and complex structure.
Things will fall down in the
Senate Democratic organization,
committee chairmanShips will be
scrambled, and there will be chaos.
This even applies to the Commit
tee on the District of Columbia.
Administration leaders are look
1ng over the field to see where to
rush with the props and under
pinning in case the structure
goes boom.
BARKLEY, BALL CARRIER
Senator Barley Is the Demo
cratic party's floor leader in the
Upper House; he has carried the
ball for the President through
many a broken field.
The President and his friends
have experienced all sorts of ad-
verse feelings 'sgainSt Governor
Chandler at trying to unhorse the
Democratic party's most conSpicu-
Gus member In the Senate. They
have said it. was bad enough to
lose q leader through defeat by a
Republican; but historians are
hard put. to find a case where a
Democratic governor deliberately
has tried to 60 out and win q
Senate seat at the price Of the
Presidents own senatorial right
hand man.
So, should Senator Barkley lose
Kentucky's nomination tomorrow,
the Democrats in the Senate will
have to choose another floor
leader when the Senate reassem.
bleS-and that in itself insures a
Kilkenny cat fight Of rare quality,
filled with scratching, biting and
yowling.
HOW ABOUT SEN. PAT?
The Kentuckian was elected
floor leader by only one vote
the vote Of 'The Man" Bilbo be-
ing vital one when he deserted
his own side partner, Pat Har-
riSon, from his own State, just to
spite Pat.
There is no assurance Senator
Harrison could be elected floor
leader: and If he should be, what
would be done about the all.poW.
erful Finance Committee - the
group which Pat Harrison now
leads and which Is responsible for
the tax legislation?
For, should Senator Harrison
become floor leader, he would
have to drop his Finance Commit
tee leadership and that leaves the
Number Two man none other than
Senator King Of Utah, who gives
this Administration Nightmares
on financial matters-and the
same thing goes the other way.
In finance, Senator King and
President Roosevelt look in oppo-
site directions.
PROBLEM OF KING
The Administration would go to
great lengths to prevent Senator
King from being chairman of the
Finance Committee; and should
the Administration NOT be sue
ceGsful, would Senator King be
both chairman Of the Senate Fl
nance Committee and the Com
mittee on the District Of Colum-
bia, of which he has been chair
man for several years? Chances
are he could not be appointed to
both chairmAnShipS.
Ordinarily, Senator King would
be willing to drop the District
Committee and take the Finance
Committee. That would leave the
District Committee choices for
chairman among Senator Glass,
who would not take it; TydingS
Of Maryland, who may be defeat
ed; Lewis Of Illinois, who may re-
tire from public life, and Bank
head, who is already chairman Of
a large committee-Irrigation and
Reclamation. /
This leaves the Craftsmanship at
the door of Pat McCarran, OF
Nevada, who faces a primary in a
few more days.
DEEP STRATEGY
After McCarran come Senators
Reynolds Of North Carolina; Bill
DO, Mississippi: Overton, Louisi-
ana; Hitchcock, South Dakota.
and Hughes, Delaware.
Among the maneuverS which
have been discussed at times is to
make Senator Clark of Missouri
floor leader and keep Senator
Harrison as head Of the Finance
Committee.
mRAN RI MHnnW