Evening star., 1946-12-25
OnIy12 in New Senate
Antedute New Deal
Eight of These Are Democrats
From the Southern States
Bv Berfram Benedict

Bv Berfram Benedict
When the Eightieth Congress convenes
on January 3, there will be only an
even dozen members of the Senate who
antedate the New Deal In the 10th
Congress there were 10, but no less than
seven (37 per cent? pass out of the pic
ture this year.
Messrs. Wheeler of Montana, La Fol-
lette of Wisconsin and Shipstead of Min
nesota were defeated in the primaries,
Walsh of Massachusetts, in the general
election. Austin of Vermont resigned
to represent the United States on the
U. N. Security Council. Bailey Of North
Carolina recently died, Gerry of Rhode
Island did not run again.
Eight of the IL pre-New Deal Sem
Ators are Democrats from south of the
Mason and Dixon Line. Southern DEM
ocrats are more apt to survive in q
Nationwide Republican victory, as last
month, than are Northern and Western
Republicans in Democratic landslides
Dull do tllOSC Vi tAlC Cdl41 JCdlo Va tAlS
New Deal.
Two of the pre-New Deal Senators
left in the Senate are Democrats whom
President Roosevelt tried in vain to
purge" from the party in 1888. George
of Georgia, SO, and Tydings of Mary
land, 56, have survived their party
leader who wanted to oust them from
the Senate.
Mortality in House.
The mortality in the primaries and
among pre-New Deal Representatives
than among pre-New Deal Senators.
When the 10th Congress adjourned sine
die on August 2, 1916, it contained 70
members elected prior to 1882. Only 10
(26 per cent? of these will not answer
the roll in the 80th Congress. Fifty
four pre-New Deal Representatives re-
main
Eight OF the 81 were in Congress when
war with Germany was declared in
| April, 1917. Seven voted for war. Mr..
Knutson of Minnesota slated to be the
new chairman of the Ways and Means
Committee, voted against war on April
4, 1917.
Only one member of the new Senate
was member back in 1917-McKellar
| of Tennessee, the retiring President pro
| tenn. He voted for entrance into World
War l.
There are more Republicans than
+r
New Deal Representatives in the 8oth
| Congress. A congressional district ss
| frequently more homogeneous politically
| than the State Of which it Is a part.
| better able to Withstand a political
cyclone which tears the State as
| whole from its traditional moorings.
| Also, a Representative may be better
| able to nurse his district along, creating
| political obligations and personal friend
| ships, than is a Senator with respect 70
his entire State.
Committee Choices.
Although seniority almost invariably
determines selection of committee chair
men, it may be passed over in the high
est offices of the two branches of Con-
gress. Senator Vandenberg of Michigan
is slated to be the new president pro tenn
Of the Senate, although he is outranked
| in length of service among the Repub.
licans by Senator Capper of Kansas
| Mr.. Vandenberg is. g. MIR. Capper, 81.
| The third Republican Senator in length
OF service is White of Maine, who is to
| he the ms iorjtv f1oor leader Tho cbair
man Of the Republican steering COM
mittee in the Senate is Taft of Ohio,
who is surpassed in length of service by
the three Senators named above and
also by Bridges of New Hampshire.
The new Speaker of the House will be
Representative Martin of Massachu-
setts. Five other Republican Repre-
sentatives have served longer consecu-
tive terms in the House than his.