Evening star., 1949-01-04
The Political Mill
New Look in Congress
Spurned by Republicans
Younger G. o. P. Senators Fail
to Upset Taft Policy Control
By Gould Lincoln


The new look did not take" on the Republi-
can Party in the new Congress. That goes for
both the Senate and House. Senator Taft Of
Ohio overwhelmingly was reelected chairman
of the Republican Policy Committee, defeating
the effort of a bakers dozen of younger Re-
publican Senators. In the House, Representa-
tive Joe" Martin of Massachusetts, stepped
gracefully dove from the Speakers chair to
become the Republican floor leader in that
body-the same Office he occupied until the ILL
fated Republican 80th Congress came into
being two-years ago.
Nor was the Republican leadership in the
House able to make an effective fight, along
with 81 dissident Democrats, against the Tru-
man administrations amendment of the House
rules which makes it no longer possible to hog
tie the administrations measures in the Rules
Committee. This was a signal, and to the adj
ministration an encouraging victory for the
Truman forces. considerable number of Re-
publicans, 49, broke away and voted for the
administrations plan which gives chairmen of
standing committees the right to demand and
obtain recognition from the Speaker to move to
bring bill to the floor of the House for con-
sideration if the Rules Committee seeks to
bottle it up.
This does not mean necessarily, however,
tive Democrats-mostly from the South, may
not be formed in the future to oppose radical
legislation. That's a development which may
OF may not happen. But certainly for the time
being the administration is riding high wide
and handsome in its dealings with Congress-
Young Turks Fight Fails. E,
The fight made by the Young Turks of the
Republican Party in the Senate to dislodge
enotp Toft +ho
head and forefront, of the Senatorial G. o. p,
while it failed, left distinct impression that
considerable group of Republican Senators will
support some of the administrations measures, r
if they are truly progressive.
The inSurgent Republicans of the Senate
had in their candidate to supplant Senator
Taft as chairman of the Republican Policy
Committee an attractive figure in the person
OF Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, They
might have elected him Republican floor
leader but they realized that the floor lead.
ershlp without the controlling Office of chair
man OF the Policy Committee, was not the
effective victory they hoped to win. They
plunked for the major job and lost
They did succeed, however in bringing about
a liberalization of the rules of the Republican
conference. These rules were amended so as
to provide for the election of the Policy Com
mlttee chairman by majority vote of all
Republican Senators-instead of by the men,
bers of the Policy Committee as in the past
Another amendment increased the size of the
Policy Committee from 9 to IL members. And
the limitation of four years continuous service
for members of the Policy Committee was con-
tinued, although no limit placed on the
number of tWo-year terms for which the chair
man OF the committee may serve. The chair
man must be elected every two years at the
opening of new Congress.
Taft Influence Enhanced.
Senator Taft, by this victory again becomes
the symbol of Republicanism in Congress- His
influence has been enhanced. However, he
may find it difficult riding herd over the SEN
atorial Republicans; even more difficult than
in the last Congress, when the Republicans
were in the majority
Massachusetts Senator Lodge also has
fight he made for the leadership-a fight
which may well be continued two years hence.
BY that time the Republican Party may have
moved-as Senator Lodge hopes it will-fur-
ther toward the progressive side of the fence.
Also, Senator Taft faces hard fight for re-
election to the Senate in 1850, and should
he be defeated, Senator Lodge would be in a
the Policy Committee Ohio's Democratic
Gov. Frank Lausche is planning to seek Sem
ator Taft's seat according to rumor, and or
ganized labor will back him heavily in such
race.