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Show INDEPENDENTS ARE FOR CLARK Randall and Others to Vote for Democratic Candidate for Speaker. SALT LAKE, March 21 That the) independents in congress would disregard disre-gard political expediency and line up in support of President Wilson in the extraordinary session of congress called Tor April 2 was the belief ex-pressed ex-pressed by Congressman Charles H Randall of Los Angeles who passed through Salt Lake City yesterday aft j ernoon on his way to Washington after a brief visit to his constituency. Congressman Con-gressman Randall sent from Salt Lake telegrams to the independents in congress con-gress urging a conference at ihe capital capi-tal on March 29. He indicated that he expected to ote for the re-election of Speaker Champ Clark in the reorganization reor-ganization of the house, and gave it as his belief that the speaker would receive re-ceive the support of perhaps all the independent group except, possibly, I Congressman Meyer London, the New I York Socialist member. Mr. Randall prerirtod steadfast sup-! sup-! port of the administration in the international inter-national crisis irrespective of political beliefs. He looked, he said, for the j withdrawal of Minority Leader Mann i as a candidate for the speakership, saying that such a course would leave (lift way open to united and non-politi-i cal action by congress in support of j war measures. Would Close Saloons. Congressman Randall, who has the j distinction of being the first and only Prohibitionist to be chosen to the national na-tional legislature, said that with a dec-I dec-I la ration of war by congress he pro-I pro-I posed to follow this action with the introduction in-troduction of a resolution authorizing tlie secretary of war and other goveru-I goveru-I meni officials to close all saloons in the "United States "as a war measure." "The saloons are closed on election day," the congressman said. "If that is regarded as justification, certainly a great crisis such as war would be a far greater one. The power of the authorities to close the saloons in a grave emergency is undoubted, I will propose ihis action following a declaration decla-ration of war." Decries Filibustering, j Mr. Randall is one of the five inde-I inde-I pendent members of the new congress I holding the balance of power in the organization or-ganization of the house. Statements I which have been published attributing I to the independents a purpose to fili- buster auii delay organisation Mr. Randall Ran-dall characterized as "pure fiction." "The independents." he said, "have never considered any proposition other than to vote on firt ballot either for a Democratic or Republican speaker. Under the present stress of international interna-tional trouble you may expect the inde- : pendents to cast the deciding vote promptly so that the business for i which President Wilson has called the I extraordinary session may proceed I without delay." |