Evening star., 1946-11-17
Rayburn Backs
is
Minority Leader
Sporkmun Supports
Massachusetts Mon
For Post Also
By Gould Lincoln

House Speaker Rayburn and
Democratic Whip Sparkman
have Endorsed Representative
Mccormack of Massachusetts, as
Democratic floor leader in the
new Congress, it was learned
yesterday.
This action means that any
Southern Democrat-or any other
Democrat-who seeks to succeed
Mr.. Mccormack as party leader will
face in all probability the opposition
of these leading Democrats in the
present Congress.
Speaker Rayburn, II he desired
could have the party leadership in
the 80th Congress by merely saying
he would accept the Office. How
ever, Mr.. Rayburn has said he does
not intend to become minority
leader Of the new House.
Mr.. Mccormack was chosen
House majority leader when Mr.
Rayburn moved from that position
in 1910 to become Speaker. The
two men have worked in closest
harmony in these positions.
Friends of Mr.. Mccormack say he
is ready to back Mr. Rayburn should
the latter change his mind and seek
the minority leadership.
Southern Democrats in Majority.
The big turnover in the House
with the Democrats losing 54 seats
to the Republicans. has left South
erners in big majority among the
Democrats. The IL States Of the
Solid South" have 103 Democrats
in the House. Kentucky, West Vir-
ginia and Maryland-cailed "border
States" but with distinct Southern
leanings- have another 13 Demo-
Gratis in the House for total of 116
With the total Democratic strength
in the new House at 1873, there will
be only 72 Democrats from the
North. East, Middle West, Far West
and Southwest. Obviously, If the
Southern Democrats voted as bloc
they could elect any one they de-
sired for minority leader.
Already the names of three South
ern Democrats and one Northern
and Eastern Democrat have been
mentioned as possible candidates
They are Representative Cox OF
Georgia, Rankin of Mississippi, Bar
den Of North Carolina, Walters OF
Pennsylvania and Mccormack. Mr.
Walters has been suggested as a
possible compromise candidate for
the job should there be a deadlock
between the forces supporting Mr.
Mccormack and Southerner.
McCormack's Experience Cited.
Speaker Rayburn and Mr.. Spark
man have written Mr.. Mccormack
expressing hope he will continue as
the Democratic floor leader In the
new Congress. Mr.. Sparkman is a
Senator-elect-and also has been re-
elected to the House. 1t is expected
he will resign from the House as soor
as the organization of that body
has been completed, and move te
the Senate.
| Mr.. McCormack's long experience
as Democratic floor leader, his
friends insist, make him the best
Qualified man for minority leader
Furthermore, it is only by future
gains in the House membership
from the North, East and West that
the Democrats can hope to control
the House again.
With an eye to the future, there
fore, the Democrats may decide to
retain as party leader a man from
outside the South. In addition
ranking places on nearly all impor-
tant standing committees of the
House will go to Southern Demo-
Gratis.
The race for the Republican
House floor leadership received an
added entry yesterday when Rep
resentative Dirksen of Illinois
formally announced his candidacy
This puts four men in the con-
test-Representatives Halleck of In
diana, Brown and Jenkins of Ohio
and Dirksen. Friends of all four
express confidence in the outcome
However, Mr. Halleck, as chair
man of the Republican Congress
sional Campaign Committee, who
signed the checks for campaign
funds, may have decided ad-
vantage. He is better known to
more Of the "a new Republican
members of the House than any OF
his competitors.
Mr.. Brown, however, was in con-
stant touch with many new Re:
(See LINCOLN, Page A-6.)