Show THE WASHINGTON SCENE Partisan Bi-Partisan Sessions Engender Good Will Among Legislators r Editors Editor's Note This is the th last in n a series of articles ankles dealing with new t Olal committees and amI their chairmen r. r By WALTER ALTER v A. A SHEAD SHERD t Washington Vl toD Correspondent WASHINGTON Faced Faced with the first Republican congress in 16 years President Truman has instituted a series of bipartisan par bi-par- bipartisan bipartisan meetings of congressional leaders during the congress as a means of creating good will The Presidents President's strategy has proved effective in promoting cooperation between the executive 1 and legislative branches of the government At the meetings which are an innovation of Mr Truman's and not called for under terms of the reorganization act the president gives an the record view of pending controversial legis legis- lation GOP congressional leaders of course are not hot bound to carry out any of the proposals discussed Carrying out his l s announced purpose of calling the at periodic intervals whenever the White House deemed it advisable Mr Tru Tru- Truman Truman Truman man has resorted to the bi bi- bipartisan bipartisan bipartisan partisan meetings several times during the present congress This article concludes the series on the congressional committees winding up with the speaker of the house and the majority leader Public Works GEORGE A. A A DONDERO MICH heads the public works committee which takes over functions of the former committees on flood control public buildings and grounds rivers and harbors and roads Dondero who has been ranking Republican on the rivers and harbors committee was w a s sy active in the de de- debate debate debate y y bate on the Y million dollar riv riv- rivers rivers s ers ens and harbors I authorization bill of 1946 from which he succeeded in eliminating the t h e eBig Big Sandy river project in Kentucky Ken Ken- Kentucky Kentucky tucky and West Virginia and a sen- sen senate senon senate Dondero D Do on d ero ate increase in m funds for the Arkansas river project Dondero was one of five representatives tives to introduce bills for a St. St Law Law- Lawrence Lawrence Lawrence rence seaway none of which was reported re reported re- re reported ported by the committee Dondero who is 63 has practiced law Jaw since 1910 in Royal Oak Mich He held various city offices from 1905 until 1932 when he was elected to congress He also was prosecuting attorney for Oakland county in 1918 19 The Th Michigan district which Dondero represents includes part of the city of Detroit and of adjoining Oakland county count It is heavily industrialized indus indus- industrialized industrialized and the CIO Auto Workers union has considerable strength Dondero however has been outspoken out- out outspoken outspoken spoken in his opposition to PAC CIO CIO P AC and to alleged Communist domination domina domina- domination domination tion of labor unions Speaker of o f House H JOSEPH J 0 S E P H W. W MARTINJR MAR MARTIN TIN J JR R. R MASS new speaker of the house has been active in Republican poli poll politics politics tics since he was elected to the Mas Mas- Massachusetts Massachusetts Massachusetts legislature in 1912 A former chairman of the Republican Republican t. t 1 lican ican national committee Martin has been m in in congress since 1924 and andI I ranks eighth in seniority among Re Re- Republicans Republicans Republicans publicans in the house He is 62 years old publisher of the North Attleboro Evening Chronicle and also proprietor of an insurance company As minority leader in the house since 1939 Martin has been able to keep his party in line in opposition tion to most of the administrations administration's poli poll cies dies But although six Republicans are recorded as voting with the majority of their party per cent of the time on re re- recent recent recent cent controversial roll calls Martin sometimes h has a s split with his par par- party party party ty and voted with I it only 85 per cent of the time One of these times was Martin when he voted to override the presidential veto of the price control bill last summer Mar Mar- Martin Martin Martin tin also voted to override vetoes of the Case labor bill and the bill renouncing re re- renouncing reI renouncing I federal claims to tidewater ter lands On foreign policy Martin in recent years has followed his colleague Sen Arthur H. H Rep Mich in supporting the policy of international cooperation In the early days of the Roosevelt admin admin- administration administration administration Martin went straight down the line against New Deal meas meas- ures tires An advocate of economy in govern govern- government government government ment Martin has endorsed GOP plans to cut personal income taxes and to balance the budget He opposes op op- opposes opposes poses universal military training and introduced a resolution in the last congress in favor of the United States taking the initiative in a move to- to towards to to- towards towards wards world disarmament Martins Martin's district the Massa Massa- Massachusetts Massachusetts Massachusetts includes Bristol county and parts of Norfolk Worcester and Mid Mid- Middlesex Middlesex Middlesex counties in the east central part of the state Organized labor has considerable strength in the district However the backing of several unions as well as the PAC failed to help Martins Martin's opponent in the 1946 election and lie he continued to increase his plurality as he has for several years When he was minority leader Martin had no committee assign assign- ment and of course continues to to have none as speaker Majority ill Leader Lender CHARLES A. A HALLECK IND majority leader of house Republicans cans was unanimously elected to his job after several other candidates withdrew in the interests of har har- mony Hallecks Halleck's candidacy for the job previously had been endorsed by Gov Thomas E. E Dewey of New York Halleck is one of six Republicans who voted with the majority of their party on per percent percent percent cent of controversial controvert t sial roll calls in inclosing inclosing inclosing closing months of the congress 1 4 Halleck has not 4 been particularly active in in floor de de- bate However in inthe inthe w- w the congress ir he spoke against the anti Petrillo bill as written al- al ala although Halleck H a II ec k though he voted for it after his own amendment was defeated Halleck was born in Jasper coun coun- county county county ty Ind in 1900 and has lived there all his life After service in World War I he received a law degree from Indiana university and began practice practice practice I tice in Rensselaer where he now lives He served five terms as cir cir- circuit circuit cir cir- circuit prosecuting attorney and was elected to congress at ata a special elec elec- election election election tion in 1935 Hallecks Halleck's 12 years' years service makes him one of the young young- youngest youngest youngest est members of the Republican lead lead- leadership leadership leadership from the point of view of seniority Hallecks Halleck's district the second In In- Indiana Indiana Indiana diana spreads over 12 counties in i I northwestern Indiana and had a population pop pop- population population in 1940 of It is primarily primarily primarily marily rural and agricultural Halleck was chairman of the na na- national national na- na national Republican congressional committee com com- committee committee working for the election of Republicans to congress during the campaign last year |