Evening star., 1944-03-15
COP Senators
Vest Leadership
In Three Men
Vondenbere, White
And Tuft Chosen
In New Setup
BY j. A. O'LEARY.

Senate Republicans decided
unanimously today on tempo
rary Setup for the remainder Of
this year, in which Senators
Vandenberg of Michigan, White
of Maine and Taft of Ohio will
be the key men in directing the
partys affairs in the Senate.
The meeting was called because
the death of Senator McNary of
Oregon left the minority leaders
post open, and today's action places
the COP senatorial leadership in
the three men.
The COP Senators voted to con-
tinue Senator Vandenberg as acting
chairman Of the Republican Con-
ference, Senator White as acting
floor leader and made Senator Taft
chairman of the newly created
Steering Committee.
Wherry Continues as Whip.
Senator Wherry of Nebraska was
continued as whip and Senator Bur-
ton of Ohio as conference secretary.
All the officers were elected only for
the rest of the present session Of
Congress, which ends next January.
Sounding an optimistic note for
the coming campaign, Senator VAN
denberg said after the conference:
Based on the expectation that
the Republican party will obtain
control not only of the Government,
but also of the Senate next Novem-
ber, we wish to be entirely free to
fit the permanent organization to
the necessities of those events"
Today's moves conformed with the
new type of organization that had
been agreed on before Senator Nc
Nary's death, the effect of which
is to bring more members into active
participation in the shaping of party
policy.
Landslide Seen Needed.
During the years of New Deal
ascendency, when the Republican
side of the Senate dwindled to II,
the direction of party policy CEN
tered in the minority leader, who
also was chairman of the confer
ence. Republicans pointed out there
was no need for steering COM
mittee during those years because
the entire COP membership could
meet at lunch.
The Republicans gradually have
regained ground until they now hold
81 of the So Senate seats. For
clear majority they will have to
capture IL Democratic places this
fall without losing any.
| Most observers believe it will take
a landslide to give the Republicans
numerical control of the Senate this
year, but party workers are conf
dent they will at least bring their
membership up close to that of the
Democrats.
The COP Senators, by their de-
cision today, avoided any contests
for leadership that might have
weakened party harmony in ad-
vance of the coming campaign.
| When re-establishment of a steer
j ing committee of nine was decided
on several weeks ago, three officers
of the conference were made ex
officio members, Senators Vanden-
berg, White and Wherry.
Will Meet Once Weekly.
The remain six Steering Com
mittee members selected today were
Senators Taft, Danaher of Connect
icut, Bridges of New Hampshire,
Brooks of Illinois, Bushfield of
South Dakota and Millikin of Col
orado.
The Steering Committee met i'm
mediately and named Senator Taft
chairman. AS part of the plan for
more vigorous minority action, the
Steering Committee decided to meet
once a week. The rules adopted at
the last meeting called for meet
ing at least every two weeks.
|, The conference adopted resolu-
tions of regret at the death of
Senator McNary, which will be
presented during memorial services
in the Senate chamber tomorrow.
Two Republican vacancies on the
committee on Wild Life Conserva-
ton were given to Senators Nye Of
North Dakota and Ferguson Of
Michigan.