Evening star., 1945-03-11
Capital Sidelights
By VIII P. Kennedy.

How long have party leaders been
part of the House organization and
what authority is there for their ap-
pointment or selection? This question
has been asked of South Trimble, the
octogenarian House clerk, and the
answer is: There always have been
party leaders, because of the sheer
necessity of the rival party system.
In the early Congresses the leader
ship was taken by force of personality,
sheer dominance and application of
the better man" rule. For many years
the elected Speaker-such able Speakers
as Tom" Reed and Uncle Joe" Can
non-appointed his party leader on the
floor, and to checkmate that the oppo-
sion party determined on leader of its
own.
The Congressional Directory of De-
cember, 1921, for the first session Of
the Sixty seventh Congress did not list
the majority and minority leaders in the
official roster of House officials; but in
the directory of the second session in
July, 1922, there are named: Frank w.
Monden of Wyoming, majority leader:
Claude Kitchin, North Carolina, minor
ity leader. and Finis j. Garrett. Ten
nesses, acting minority leader.
Representative Clarence Cannon of
Missouri, former pariamentarian Of
the House and parliamentarian of the
last six Democratic National Conven-
tions, says:
Under the recent practice the selec-
ton of floor leaders is announced in
the House" The first mention of such
en- announcement was on April Is, 1929
first session of the Seventy-first Con-
gressl, when on the first day of the ses-
sion Representative Willis c. Hawley,
Republican, of oregon, chairman of the
minority caucus, announced that it had
reelected Representative John @. Til
son, Republican, of Connecticut minor
ity leader for the Seventy-first Con-
gress. Then, Representative David H.
Kincheloe, Democrat, of Kentucky as
chairman of the Democratic caucus, an
had been selected as minority leader.
On December Z, 1881, Representative
William W. Arnold, Democrat, of Illinois,
chairman Of the Democratic caucus In
the Seventy-second Congress, an
nounced the selection of Representative
Henry T. Rainey, Democrat, Of Illinois
as majority leader.
On March 8. 1888, Representative
Clarence F. Lea. Democrat, of Califor-
mia, chairman of the majority caucus
announced the selection of Representa-
tive Joseph w. Byrns of Tennessee as
floor leader. Representative Robert Luce,
Republican, of Massachusetts,, chairman
of the Republican conference, an
nounced the selection of Representative
Bertrand H. Smell, Republican, of New
York as minority leader.
Under the title "A discussion of the
functions and duties of the majority and
minority floor leaders," Representative
Cannon explains that: "The rules con-
tain no provision relating to the selec-
tion or duties of the party floor leaders,
who are chosen by caucus or conference
of their respective parties" He quotes in
his "Cannon's Precedents" (vol. 81, a
speech on May II, 1928, by Representa-
tive Guy U. Hardy of Colorado-an ex-
traordinary scholar. newspaper editor
and publisher, highly respected by his
colleagues, as follows: "The floor leader,
especially Of the majority side, of course,
represents the majority on the floor.
Motions he makes are usually passed.
He endeavors to represent the majority
view and the majority follow his Lead
ership. He leads in debate on admin
istration matters and gives the House
and country the viewpoint of his party
on the legislative program.
1.-THE leaders keep in touch with pro-
posed legislation, the status of bills Of
Importance, with the Steering Committee
of which he is chairman, and with the
attitude of the Rules Committee. He
confers with committee chairmen and
members in general. The majority
leader often confers with the President
and advises with him regarding admin
istrative measures. He takes to the
President the sentiment Of the party
in the House and brings to the party in
the House the sentiment Of the Presi-
dent The majority leader acts also as
chairman Of the Committee on Com
mittees and Of the Steering Committee" !"