Evening star., 1946-11-06
BiIbo Will Lose
Chairn1anshipof
D. {. Committee
Copper in Line for
Post; Dirksen May
Head House Group
BY Don S. Warren

District Committee out OF the hands
of Senator Bilbo, Democrat, o1
Mississippi.
The election OF Arthur v. Wat.
kins, Republican, of Utah to tht
seat now held by Democratic Sena.
tor Murdock, gave the Republicans
their 49th seat and control OF the
Senate.
This automatically will take the
post away from the Mississippian
An incidental backwash of the ma.
tional elections, therefore, will &C.
complish what heated campaigns
against Senator Bilbo, personally
failed to do.
Senator Bilbo was opposed in las,
July's primaries by four candidates
but defeated them easily. Then g
campaign was organized to bar him
from the Senate-with little sue.
cess expected. Meanwhile his mos
recent and earlier campaigns art
under investigation by two Senate
committees.
Capper Has First Choice.
Senator Capper, Republican, OF
Kansas, long champion OF District
rights and a voice in its law-mak-
ing body, would have first claim on
the committee leadership. Capitol
observers said it was possible he
might not take the place because
he has priority also in chairman
ships of national Importance, no.
tably the Agriculture Committee.
The election also sets the stage
for new leadership of the House
District Committee as well as ma
jor change in its membership.
Representative Mcmillan, Demo-
crat, of South Carolina, though re-
elected to the House by a substan-
tial majority, like that attained by
Senator Bilbo in his return to the
Senate, will lose his Craftsmanship
of the House District Committee.
There are several question marks
involved in the selection Of Chair
man McMillans Republican success
sor, but it appeared likely today the
Craftsmanship would be accepted by
Representative Dirksen, Republi-
can of Illinois. This depends first
on whether the Republican leader
ship of the House will sanction him
as District chairman while he also
is serving as key man on tfs House
Appropriations copmittee.
Long Member of Group.
Mr.. DirkSens friends here said
they believed he could be convinced
he should take the post, despite the
pressure of national work. He Is
expected to be considered for some
key party position in the House, in
addition to a probable selection as
chairman of major appropriations
committee.
Mr.. Dirksen has been an active
member of the District group for
many years.
If this plan should fail the next
In line for the House District Com
mittee post would be Representative
Bates, Republican, of Massachusetts,.
A former Mayor of Salem, Mass,
where he gained an abiding interest
in municipal affairs, he, too, has
been a member of the District Com
mittee for many years.
Senator Capper is ranking Repub-
lican on the Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee, the Agriculture
Committee and the Claims Commit
tee, as well as the District group.
There is said to be little doubt but
that he will step aside to permit
Senator Vandenberg, Republican, of
Michigan take the Foreign Relations
Committee post.
Claims Group May Be Scrapped.
It was not SO certain he would be
willing to pass up leadership of the
Agriculture Committee, since he
comes from great farm State
The Claims Committee will be abol-
ished if the Senate goes through with
the congressional reorganization
plans.
Second to him on the District group
is Senator Bridges, Republican
of New Hampshire, but he is slated
to head the Appropriations Commit
tee when the Republicans take charge
in the Senate. Most likely success
sors to the post, unless the Kansan
can take it, are Senators Buck OF
Delaware, Smith of New Jersey and
SaltenstalI of Massachusetts,, all Re-
publicans.
The Senate District Committee is
losing three members. Senator Briggs
of Missouri and Huffman of Ohio
Democrats, were defeated, and Sena-
tor Swift, Democrat, of Alabama did
not stand for reelection.
House Committee Revised.
The House District Committee will
see a major change in its personnel
as we'll as a new chairman. The list
of revisions was increased when WORD
came shortly after noon of the de-
feat of Representative Randolph
Democrat, of West Virginia, former
chairman of the District group, who
continued as an active member.
Only IL of the 81 members of the
House committee so far have been
declared reelected. Two members
were defeated in last summers pri-
mary battles. A third resigned to
become Federal judge in Pennsyl-
vania.
Returns this morning showed a
member from the Seventy-ninth
Congress was acknowledgements
tive Link, Democrat, of Illinois.
Three Others in Doubt.
Final word was awaited as to the
election fates of three others, Repre-
sentatives Feighan of Ohio and
Healy of California, Democrats, and
O'Hara, Republican, of Minnesota.
Elected were Representatives Nc
MILAN, Harris of Arkansas, Hebert
of Louisiana, Abernathy of Missis-
sippi, Smith of Virginia and Combs
OF Texas, Democrats, and Dirksen
Bates, LIE Fevre of New York, Simp-
son of Illinois, Beall of Maryland
and McDonough of California. Re-
publicans.
High School Certificate
Tests Slated Nov. 19