The Young Turks

Spectators of the Senate tariff war last week gasped with surprise at the sight of a trim new regiment marching briskly and in close order out of the hard-harried Republican redoubts. From the sidelines few were the faces recognized in this detachment of fresh troops as it deployed and in one bold stroke captured the tariff battlefield under sharp Democratic fire.

These new Republican warriors were called "the Young Turks, a band about 20 strong who had mutinied against the feeble leadership of the Old Guard. For Senators they were young men (average age: 56). As legislative legionaries they were mostly rookies serving their first Senate enlistment.

Marching in the Young Turks' ranks were Allen of Kansas, Glenn of Illinois, Goldsborough of Maryland, Hastings of Delaware, Hatfield of West Virginia, Hebert of Rhode Island, Kean of New Jersey, McCulloch of Ohio, Patterson of Missouri, Townsend of Delaware, Walcott of Connecticut. From the Old Guard they had recruited Deneen of Illinois, Fess of Ohio, Goff of West Virginia, McNary of Oregon, Oddie of Nevada et al. There was even talk of unhorsing Old Guardsman Watson as Republican Leader and putting Senator McNary into his place.

Old Guardsmen, weary of the eight-week fray, wanted to go home and lick their wounds in private. Democrats also craved a respite; the charge, false or true, that their action on the tariff was largely responsible for the stockmarket crash and business uncertainty made them skittish about pressing their victories too far.

Democratic Field Marshal Simmons wanted to get back to New Bern, N. C.. where a bank failure, he explained, had cost him every cent he had. He it was who proposed the truce--adjournment of the special session, putting the tariff over to December. On the vote the Young Turks marched into the breach and turned the tide of battle by joining with Insurgent Republicans and a handful of insatiable Democrats to defeat (51 to 34) the adjournment resolution.

Even Republican Generalissimo Smoot voted against adjournment. He cried: "My duty is to stand by the bill and if God gives me strength, that is what I'll do. If it kills me, all right. . . . If the Senate wants to adjourn I'd say THANK GOD but I will never ask for it myself. . . ."

Quickly to his feet leaped Democratic General Harrison, proposing, as a sort of reprisal, night sessions on the tariff. The Young Turks accepted the challenge, helped to vote three-hour sessions each night, making a ten-and-a-half hour fighting day for the Senate. Never did the tariff war go more briskly. The Young Turks, in the saddle, had a definite program: to keep the Senate in session; to pass the bill by Dec. 1; to keep industrial rates at their present levels. Old Guardsmen fairly panted as farm rates were pegged up so rapidly that even Senate clerks could hardly follow the procedure.

When the bean schedule was reached Generalissimo Smoot and Field Marshal Simmons had an acrimonious dispute. The Field Marshal, red in the face, waved his arms and cried: "The Senator from Utah knows nothing about beans!" Glaring down scornfully upon his opponent across the aisle, the Generalissimo snarled back: "Beans! Beans! We grow better beans in Utah than they do in North Carolina--or anywhere else in the world!"

The Senate worked through two night sessions. Every member was fagged by Saturday afternoon when Democratic assistant Chief-of-Staff Walsh of Montana arose to beg the Young Turks to have mercy on their older colleagues and not work them into their graves. He pleaded for a week-end recess. Up then spoke Nebraska's Insurgent Norris (aged 68):

"Speaking as one of the younger members of the Senate, I say that if wear and tear affected grey hair, I'd be bald-headed now. You can't hurt me by running over me with a political machine or an automobile.* But I'll forego the pleasure of working all day and all night."

Grudgingly the young Young Turks permitted a breathing spell.

*Senator Norris was knocked down, slightly bruised by an automobile last fortnight while crossing the Capitol plaza.