Detroit evening times., 1943-01-15
lsolationists
Save Barley
Senate Post
Democratic Caucus Row
Shows Party Jittery
By PAUL MALLON


WASHINGTON, Jan. 14-1t
w is a good thing the Demo
cratic senators closed the door
for their initial caucus.
Only by manipulating a tenn
pOrary inside truce did they
avoid exposing the shattered
condition of their Senate ma
jorlty
Itwas indeed the hated iSoia-
tioniStS who came through and
saved the bruised and battered
head of Alben Barkley as Sen
ate leader.
Barkley would have been de-
feated for reelection and the
party plunged into a new scram-
ble for control had not the most
outSpOken Democratic critics OF
Mr.. RooSevelt'S foreign policy,
Senators Burton Wheeler of
Montana and the two ClarkS, Of
Idaho and Missouri. undertaken
leadership to re-elect him
TcnneSSee'S Senator Nickel
lar had offered a resolution pro-
VidinC that the caucus, instead
of BarklcY. fill two vacancies on
the steering committee, body
which decides the order in
which legislation is TO be taken
up. Barkley took the position
this would be an insult 10 his
leadership and he would have
10 resign.
THEN Wheeler arose lie said
L that while nc had fought
Barkley over the Roosevelt for
eign policy from 1898 until the
war, the Kentucky Roosevelt
leader had always been fair
Wheeler plainly told his col
leagues that if they fought the
leadership issue out now, neither
side would gain,
The two ClarkS chimed in
their assent, and the resolution
was defeated by margin of
only "a 10 90
The Southern Democrats were
out to get Barkley because of
his recent enthusiasm for the
Nanti-pol tax bill. They were
able 10 stop him with his new
found isolationist support, how
ever. on only one point.
They kicked out the New
Dealer (Senator Wallgren of
WaShingtonD, whom he had
named as secretary of the
caucus and Installed an anti
New Dealer Senator Francis
Maloney of Connecticut.
The incident clearly showed
Barkley will not be able to han
die the majority on most issues
during the coming session. Blocs
farm, southern, isolationists) are
likely 10 do the leading.
THE Democratic conference
Il sounded like a Republican
convention as far as criticism
of the administration was con-
Cerned. Texas Tom Connally
said at one point to Barkley:
you are taking the position
that you are bigger than the
caucus when you are the crea-
ture of the caucus. That Is the
trouble with these bureaucrats
downtown. They are created by
Congress and the people and
then they think they are bigger
than the people who created
them"
Many Democratic senators
from the North and West made
speeches plainly saying that
they thought their goose was
cooked or cooking for reelection
in 1914, unless changes are
made.
All wanted a change in
everything except the name of
the leader. and this desire will
dominate the upper house from
now on.
MIR. Roosevelt's initial appoint
ments took care of most of the
lameducks. but it is not clear
yet whether they took care of
, the problems at hand.
Judge Rutledge Will make the
New Deal court majority seven
10 two, but il is not known
whether he will join the Frank
furter bloc or New Dealers of
the Black bloc.
Perhaps IL makes little diff
ference because the only margin
between the two is that Black
wants to go further and faster
than Frankfurter.
I'D FLYNN is not very popu-
II lar even with New Deal
Democrats, who privately ex-
pressed distaste for his choice
as ambassador 10 Australia. But.
after the Republicans have a
little fun with him, the Demo-
Gratis Will vote for him and no
doubt confirm him.
As for PrentiSs Brown in
HenderSon's place. the defeated
Michigan senator is more pOpu-
lar IN Washington than appar-
emily even in ms home state.
Around the Senate. he is re-
gardcd as much less OF a New
Dealer than Henderson and a
high class citizen.
incidentally, although he is 10
be IN charge of housing, he has
been unable TO find an apart
ment for his family. The man
ager AT his former apartment
hnlsn rnrnr1nlsnd 10 Lot him re-