Evening star., 1940-09-16

its Rules Committee, administered
the oath of ONCE to Speaker Ray
burn and Representative Doughton
formally introduced the new Speaker
to the House.
He is worthy successor to
Speaker Bankhead, whom We all SO
dearly loved" said Mr.. Doughton.
AS his first official act as Speaker
Mr.. Rayburn announced that Satur-
day under authority granted him by
the House he had signed the ma
tional conscription bill.
The House then agreed to adjourn
until Thursday as mark Of respect
to the late Speaker.
Leaders Agree on Him.
A conference of House Democratic
leaders agreed informally a short
time before the House convened to
the nomination of Mr.. Rayburn to
succeed Mr.. Bankhead.
House Minority Leader Martin of
Massachusetts, said that, in view of
the situation, no Republican candi-
date for the speakership would be
presented, thus obviating the need
for a roll-call.
Several names were mentioned as
possibilities for the House leadership,
the list including Representatives
Mccormack, chairman Of the Demo-
cratic caucus; Boland of Pennsyl-
yania, party whip; Cooper of Ten
nessee, chairman of the Taxation
Subcommittee of the Ways and
Means Committee; Woodrum of Vir-
ginia, ranking member of the Ap-
preparations Committee, and others.
A decision on this post, and the
other shifts that will be necessi-
tated by the election of a Speaker,
are not due to be made, however,
until after Mr.. Bankhead'S funeral.
Close Friend Of Roosevelt.
Mr.. Rayburn is a close friend of
President Roosevelt and Vice Presi-
dent Garner, and in Congress en-
joys the support OF both New Deal
ers and conservatives in his party.
He has consistently supported ad-
ministration legislation.
The bald, stocky Texan is a law
yer whose profession has been poll
tics and whose avocation has been
farming. He was sent to the State
Legislature a short time after he left
the University of Texas.
For six years he served in the
State House of Representatives and
in 1913 was sent to Congress. He
rose to be chairman of the Inter-
state Commerce Committee and sue
ceeded Mr.. Bankhead as majority
leader when the latter was elected
Speaker.
A bachelor, Mr.. Rayburn is SO
years old. He is a genuinely friendly
man and most of his colleagues ad-
dress him as Sam. He knows almost
every man in Congress by his first
name and makes a point OF remem-
bering the first names of new men,
bers.
Works on His Farm.
He makes his home here in an
apartment at 1900 o street NV. and
often walks the two miles from there
to the Capitol He likes to walk
and between sessions OF Congress
works like a hired man on his farm
near Bonham, Tex.
Like his crpny and fellow Texan,
Vice President Garner. Mr.. Ray
burn shuns as much of the social
side of Washington as he can He
prefers a quiet evening with friends
or the solitary companionShip OF a
good book.
The Gamer-Rayburn friendship
Is one Of the closest associations at
the Capitol. Mr.. Rayburn man
aged Mr. Garner's bid for the Demo-
cratic presidential nomination in
1882. Again he offered his support
when Mr.. Garner announced his
candidacy for the 1910 nomination.
terming his friend an outstanding
Texan and liberal Democrat
But, despite his friendship for the
Vice President and the latter's
known dislike for some New Deal
legislation. Mr.. Rayburn has never
wavered from his loyalty to Presi-
dent Roosevelt. AS Democratic
leader and chairman of the Inter-
state Commerce Committee he
piloted many administration meas
ureS through the House. AS re-
recently as last July, after Mr.. Gar
ner's presidential bid had failed, Mr..
Rayburn characterized Mr.. Roose-
welt in a speech at Williamspors,
Md, as the greatest humanitarian
to occupy the White House in so
years.