Evening star., 1948-11-01
Fate Of Senate
D. Committee
Awaits Election
Four Members Fuce
Hard Contests; House
Group More StobIe
By Don S. Worren

A whole series or lis" surrounds
the question of what Senators will
take charge Of District legislation
in the new Congress. To an unusual
degree there are uncertainties this
election year as to both the chair
manship and membership on the
Senate District Committee.
The balloting tomorrow will pro-
vide some major answers, with four
Republican committeeman awaiting
the results of hard reelection bat
ties. But personal choices as to
committee assignments also has to
be considered.
The Senate group situation Is
much different from that Of the
House District Committee where
Representative Bates, Republican,
Of Massachusetts,, tnopposed for re-
election, is considered q sure bet
for chairman. And among its mem
bership, also, the election is not
expected to cause any big shakeup.
Buck May be Returned.
Senator Buck. Republican, Of Del
aware, now head of the Senate
District group. is expected to be
returned to Washington. his friends
say, although margins Of victory in
Delaware are not usually large.
Even with his reelection, however,
H. is not yet indicated who will head
the committee.
The first big question is whether
H. pnva,h1fravr will rotain Senate
control Assuming they do, other
questions will determine the make
UP of the Senate group.
Among the first is whether Sem
ator Tobey, Republican, of New
Hampshire. will want to stay as
chairman Of the Senate Banking and
Currency Committee, or become head
of the Senate Committee on Inter-
state and Foreign Commerce. With
the retirement from Congress OF
Senator White, Republican. Of
Maine, Senator Tobey is top Repub-
hcan on the Commerce group.
II he chooses the Commerce post,
Senator Buck would want and would
be in line to become Banking Com
mittee head. From his Temple
IN. H. home. Senator Tobey told
The Star he had not yet decided.
Cain May BE Chairman.
II he does not get the Banking
craftsmanship, Senator Buck indi-
Gated he would want to remain as
District Committee head. Should he
move to the higher chairmanship,
the District mantle may fall to
Senator Cain, Republican, of Wash
ington. who has displayed an active
interest in District problems.
Ranking ahead of him are Sem
ators Ball, Republican. Of Minnesota,
and Cooper, Republican, of Ken
lucky. both caught in doubtful re-
election contests.
Some Capitol Hill attaches are
predicting that neither Senators
Ball or Cooper would want the
District craftsmanship. If 1t fell to
them, believing that the assign
ment would be passed to Senator
Cain. But here another question
comes into the picture. The Wash
kUO1i CCudtU tIlUS ulkIlt DS ldCCu
with having to give up q national
committee ehairmanship to take the
District post.
Now Ranking Member.
He now is a high ranking member
of the Senate Public Works Com
mittee and could become chairman
II political disaster strikes two Re-
publicans with more seniority
Chairman Revercomb, of West Vir-
ginia, and Senator Cooper.
There are those who say Senator
Cain would even bypass this ma.
tional committee assignment to
head the District Committee, since
he still would be active on public
works, but to plot such o course
would be extraordinary.
II all these possibilities fail, then
the Craftsmanship would 60 to Sena-
tor KEN, Republican, of Missouri,
who has not played q very active
role in city affairs here, or lastly
to Senator Dworshak, Republican,
OF Idaho, who has, and also is in