Evening star., 1951-01-06
Anti-Truman Forces
GET Advantage in
Senate Assignments

0elldlt ASSIylllIlthlS
The long-standing seniority rule
on Capitol Hill worked to the dis
advantage of some strong sup
porters of the Presidents domes-
tic program when Democratic
committee assignments were given
out yesterday.
Three new committee chairmen
were named: Agriculture, Senator
Ellender of louisiana; armed
services, Senator Russell of Geor-
gia. and education and labor,
Senator Murray of Montana.
Two vacancies on the coveted
Foreign Relations Committee went
to Senators Sparkman of Alabama
and Gillette of Iowa. Senator
Benton of Connecticut. an admin
istration man and former Assistant
Secretary of State, made an un-
successful bid for that committee.
The Republicans probably will
make their committee assignments
next week.
Stennis on Armed Services.
Senator Stennis of Mississippi.
an outspoken foe of such Truman
domestic policies as the civil rights
bills. got place on the busy
Armed Services Committee. A
single vacancy on the Finance
Committee. which handles tax leg
islation, went to Senator Frear of
Delaware.
Five Senators who class them
selves as fair dealers" had called
on the Democratic leader. Sem
ator Mcfarland of Arizona, be-
fore the assignments were an
nounced. They demanded that
members of the minority who
voted against Senator Mcfarland
in the party caucus be given places
on important committees.
After their call. Senator Nc
Farland told a reporter they would
get the committee assignments
that are due them"
An inspection of the assign
ment list showed they certainly
got no more than that. Senator
Humphrey of Minnesota got a
spot on Agriculture. and Senator
PaStore of Rhode Island drew a
place on the Labor Committee.
The five who visited Senator
Mcfarland included Senators
Lehman of New York, Douglas of
Illinois. Benton, Murray of Mon
tana and Kilgore of West Virginia.
South Supported Mcfarland.
They were named at a secret
meeting of insurgents after Sen
ator Mcfarland had announced
appointments of two major party
control groups - the Democratic
Policy and Steering Committees
ON which the Truman support
ers said they felt they had not
received proper recognition.
Senator Mcfarland, who classes
himself as a 80 per cent" sup.
porter of Mr.. Truman's domestic
program tthe 10 per cent is the
civil rights section) was electec
majority leader by a 30-to-19 vote
earlier in the week. He was sup.
ported strongly by Southern Dem.
ocrats who oppose the President:
civil rights program and often fine
fault with other Truman domestic
measures.
The all-out Truman followers
backed Senator OMahoney, Dem.
ocrat, of Wyoming.
Senator Mcfarland followed
precedent by naming himself as
chairman of both the Policy and
Steering Committees. But he de.
parted from precedent and the
Senate's old rule of length ol
service in picking other members
The policy group decides the
Democratic stand on important
legislation. The Steering Com
mittee makes assignments te
standing committees which draft
legislation.
Retained in Policy Group.
| Senator Mcfarland retained or
the policy group Senators Greer
of Rhode Island, Hill of Alabama
lO'Mahoney, and Mcmahon o.
Connecticut, all Staunch Truman
supporters. He named Senator
Russell. leader of the Southern
bloc. and Senators Kerr of Okla
homa, Chapman of Kentucky ane
Johnson of Texas, who supported
him in the battle with Senator
O'Mahoney. as new members o.
the group.
Observers said this gave th'
McFafland plOc IlVe TO IOuf eQge
On the Steering Committee
Senator Mcfarland reappointet
Senators McKellar of Tennessee
George of Georgia, Hayden of Ari
zona, Connally of Texas and Sen
ator O'Mahoney.
AS new members he named Sen
tors Murray. Chavez of New MeXi
CO, Ellender of Louisiana, HOLLAND
of Florida. Frear of Delaware ant
Mcmahon. This gave the McFar
land group at least a to edge.
List of Assignments.
Following is a list of the Demo
cratic assignments, with nev
chalrmen and new members desig
mated by (X):
Agriculture and Forestry-Ellen
der IaD, chairman (x): Hoe.
IN. c., Johnston IS. c., Hollant
tFla), Anderson IN. M, tx
Eastland MissD, (X) Humphre.
(MinnD.
Appropriations - NICK ella:
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