Evening star., 1947-01-14
Democrats in Senate
Pick Policy Group 10
Fight 6. 0. P. Bills
By the Assoeioied Press

BY the Asseeiaied Press
Senate Democrats aimed a nev
political haymaker today at th'
Senate War Investigating Com.
mittee, hoping to f1atten the Re
publican majority in the frs
true test vote. of the. new Con.
greSs.
Democratic leaders lined up what
some prospective members described
as Young GUARD Policy Commit.
tee, its chief business to take Re.
publican legislation apart. Thi.
group also will defend, in general
the lawmaking program recon-
mended by President Truman.
Without awaiting formal appoint
ment, some Senators who expect to
be on the new committee already
are throwing punches at the Re-
publican proposal to continue the
life of the war investigating group
through 1947.
Voice Sharp Opposition.
Senators Tydings of Maryland and
OMahoney of Wyoming have voiced
sharp opposition, on the grounds
that to set up special committees
to take over the work of standing
committees would violate the spirit,
II not the letter, of the Congress
sional Reorganization Act.
Senators Tydings and O'Mahoney
are reported under consideration
for appointment to the new Demo-
cratic policy group, which also may
include Senators Russell of Georgia
Hatch of New Mexico, Hill of Ala
bama and Green of Rhode Island
Democratic Leader Barkley would
preside as chairman.
# 1t is chosen officially, this group
would be made up largely of Demo-
Gratis with fewer years of service
than the party members who held
most OF the chairmanships and thus
had the largest hand in forming
policy when the Democrats con-
trolled the Senate. With the excep-
ton of Senator Green, who is 10,
Senator Barkley, 68, and Senator
OMahoney, SO, all are in their 40's
or sos.
Job Is Outlined.
It will be their job, some pros
pective members said, to be on hand
to fight just such proposals as that
made by the Republicans to keep
the War Investigation and Small
Business Committees in existence.
How well they have functioned in
an informal way may be demon
strated tomorrow when the Senate
takes up this question again, Neither
party, each with about half dozen
absentees, was ready to vote yester-
day.
The Democrats counted on Re-
publican defections to cut down and
possibly eliminate the 81 to A mar
gin the G. O. P. holds.
They listed Senators Tobey OF
New Hampshire, Morse OF Oregon,
Aiken of Vermont and LANCER OF
Indiana as possible COP converts
to their contention that there
should be no special committees un-
der the Reorganization Act. In turn
they expected to lose the support OF
Senator Murray, Democrat, OF Mon
tana, who is interested in keeping
the small business group going.
Republicans were to- discuss the
situation at meeting of all party
members at 3 o'clock this after
noon.
Senator Tobey told a reporter
that while he recognizes that the
Democrats may be attempting to
make political capital out Of this
first legislative test vote he thinks
the principle involved transcends
party lines.
IT am not one to give aid and
comfort to the enemy" he said.
But I believe the Republican Party
should keep itself clean, abiding by
the spirit of the Reorganization
Act"
Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio
told the Senate heatedly yesterday
that the Republicans were not vio-
1dtlIlS ally VI t1lC ~ 11AASAP1So AeAAN
down in the act.
He read from the record of last
years debate a statement by the
bills sponsor, former Senator La
Toilette, Progressive, of Wisconsin
that there was no intention of
cutting of special committees in
operation at the time the act was
passed. Senator La Toilette said
the aim was to ban future commit
tees of this nature.
Senator Brewster, Republican, of
Maine, who heads the War Investi-
eating Committee, told reporters he
believes that now is the time to get
the real lowdown on war contracts,
profits and other transactions.
There seems to be a marked
disposition to tell more tales now
than before the November 5 elec-
tion," Senator Brewster said.
L. -