University of Virginia Library

Seniors Unopposed

Even the group's senior members,
John Byrnes (Wis.), ranking-Ways
and Means Committee Republican,
William Springer (Ill.),
ranking Interstate Commerce Committee
Republican, and John
Rhodes (Ariz.), GOP Policy Committee
chairman, are not known to
oppose reform.

The Republican Task Force,
then, also appears to be "representative"
of GOP House membership
in that Republican support
for the seniority system is nowhere-not
even among its most
senior members-as great as it is
among Southern or some Northern
Democrats.

The reason, as one Task Force
member said, "is that we Republicans
are a more homogeneous
party. And therefore we don't have
the seniority hangups that they
do."

By that he meant that the
Democrats — in the House as in the
nation - are on contrast to the
Republicans, a heterogeneous or
"coalition" party. Their Southern
and rural interests are often incompatible
with their Northern and
urban ones.