Evening star., 1943-01-02
The Political Mill
Nation Looks to New Congress to Forget
Politics and Help, Not Hinder, War Effort


that body.
Mr.. Mccormack is the first
Democratic House leader from
the North and East in long time.
For years the leader has come
from the South or from the So
called border States. This has
been due not only to the fact that
South has sent men of ability, but
also to the fact that 1t has kept
them for years in the House,
building up seniority status.
Speaker Rayburn, who holds
the confidence of the Republicans
as well as the Democrats, Is a
case in point. He has been a
member Of the House for 80 years.
The Senate is continuing
body" 1t elects only one third of
its members every two years, or
every new Congress. The parties
may, If they wish, shift their
leaders at the beginning of a new
Congress. 1t is not done, how
ever. Senator Barkley of Ken
lucky will be continued as the
Democratic leader and Senator
McNary of Oregon as minority
leader. The Kentucky Senator
was elected leader, with the sup
port of the White House, by a
single vote over the late Senator
Harrison of Mississippi, following
the death of the then leader,
Senator Robinson of Arkansas.
Senate Minority Effective.
Senator Barkley has had his
troubles. Not all Of the Demo-
cratic Senators have seen eye to
eye with the ADMINISTRATION
and Senator Barkley has had to
fight the administrations battles.
He has handled himself and his
forces with considerable success.
Should the President decide to
appoint Mr.. Barkley to fill the
vacancy now existing In the Su-
preme Court, the administrati
would be hard put to 1t to find
another Senate leader who would
approximate his worth to the ad-
ministration cause. Indeed, the
Democrats might pick a leader
who would have an anti-New
Deal slant.
Senator McNary first came to
the Senate in 1917, and no other
Republican member of the BODY
has had so long a service except
Senator johnson of California.
who tops him by a few months.
He has led the Republicans in
the Upper House during their
leanest years-when the number
OF Republicans was cut down al
most to a corporals guard. A
minority IN the Senate, however,
can be an effective weapon be-
cause of the Senate's rule of un-
limited debate. The Oregon Sem
ator, therefore, has been able to
marshal his slender forces with
ability and to force many a COM
promise.
In the new Congress the Re-
publicans will have 80 Senator's.
material increase In number
oyer the last Congress. AS in the
House. the Republicans, Joining
with the anti-New Deal Demo-
Gratis, can control.
The advent of the new Con-
gress has been much publicized,
on the theory that 1t will bring
frequent clashes with the White
House. That is as may be, de-
pending largely on the demands
made on Congress by the Chief
Executive. In view OF the recent
election results undoubtedly there
Will be more independence shown
IN Congress than in recent years.
IL Will be terrible misfortune
however, If the coming session of
congress becomes a mere bear
batting affair, dominated bv no.
htlcal desires. The country is
looking to Congress to aid in the
war effort-not to hinder, The
leadership, Republican as well as
democratic, must bear this in
mind