(See front cover)
Last week the busiest men in Congress were that heterogeneous crew of Republican Senators and Representatives called Insurgents. They passed no big bills. They made no important speeches. They upset no prime appointments. Yet with their busy-buzzing activities they managed to keep President Hoover on pins-&-needles. Though he had checkmated their attempt fortnight ago to recall three Federal Power Commission nominatons, they found new and diverse ways of obstructing his orthodox Republican leadership.
Senate Doings. By combining their strength with the Democrats, the Senate Insurgents were able to : 1) get an extra appropriation of $50,000 for their Slush Fund Committee to continue bedeviling regular Republican Senators-electon their campaign expenditures; 2) recall legislation to modernize three battleships which was later passed a second time over their pacifist protests; 3) order investigation, into the disproportionate prices of flour, bread and sugar. The Insurgents' frank desire for an extra session of Congress lent realism to the threat of Democratic Leader Robinson to force one unless his $25,000,000 Federal food fund for Drought sufferers was accepted by the Administration. If Congress-rejected this proposal, Senator Robinson, confident of Insurgent assent, warned Republican leaders: "You can stick your appropriation bills up—on the shelf." Later they helped Senator Robinson attach his relief plan to the Interior Department appropriation bill where they vowed it would stick in spite of President Hoover's objections.
In The House. With a good thumping Republican majority Speaker Longworth. Floor Leader Tilson and Rules Chairman Snell have ruled the House since 1925 by brute force rather than by parliamentary skill or legislative ability. No such majority will they have in the next Congress to enforce their will. Hence last week Republican Insurgency raised its head again in the form of a demand to liberalize the House rules as the price of party support. Well aware that the 12 or 15 disgruntled votes from the Northwest could wipe out their control, Messrs. Longworth, Tilson & Snell were ready to compromise. What the Insurgents were ready to fight for included: 1) elimination of the "gag" rule which cuts off debate and bars floor amendments on controversial legislation; 2) power to "discharge" a committee and bring a bill to the House floor on petition of 100 members, instead of, as now, 218 members. A Republican House caucus late next month will thresh out the rules issue and renominate Congressman Longworth for the Speakership. provided Representatives whose wives feel that Mrs. Longworth has snubbed them do not have their way.
What Is Insurgency?" Insurgency is as old as Congress. Its prime characteristic is rebellion against party discipline. Occasionally it reaches such a pitch that it sheers off into a third party (Roosevelt in 1912; La Follette in 1924"). Normally it works within the party organization. Insurgent Republicans expect their party to advance them to important posts but feel no obligation to render party support in return. Exercise of free judgment is their great tenet.