Voice Trust

Thoroughly vexed by the conduct of their colleague, South Carolina's Ellison D. Smith. Senate Democrats last week used legislative force upon him. Leader Robinson proposed to discharge from Senator Smith's Agriculture Committee the nomination of Rexford Guy Tugwell to be Undersecretary of Agriculture. Only then did the Senate win a promise that the promotion of the President's chief braintruster from a $7,500 to a $10,000-a-year job would be reported.

But ponderous Senator Smith had his revenge. Before reporting he haled Dr. Tugwell before his committee for an inquisition on two points: How much of a dirt farmer was he? How radical were his ideas?

Affably Secretary Wallace's handsome right-hand man presented himself, but the time he spent upon the stand was hardly comfortable. His experience as a dirt farmer consisted chiefly of having managed his father's apple, peach, plum, cherry and pear farm during summer vacations from college. When Senator Byrd began to question him about his radical beliefs, he twisted and dodged. Yet he was saved from any real embarrassment by the conduct of the hearing. A partisan crowd filling the room applauded, yelled, booed, shouted "We want Tugwell!" and "Hurrah for Byrd!" The Senators were no more restrained. When Senator Murphy accused Chairman Smith of attacking the Administration, Mr. Smith, red faced, jumped up, shook his fist under the lowan's nose. "By the eternal God," he cried, "I won't stand for these dirty insinuations! When we took the crown off the head of King George, thank God, we put itj--" "Y-I-A-O-U!" yelled the crowd. Mr. Murphy shouted back: "When you take the head off the shoulders of President Roosevelt, God only knows where you'll put it." During such wrangling Mr. Tugwell, sitting meekly in his chair, escaped much notice. After four strenuous hours the Senators let him go. Next day the Agriculture Committee voted 16-to-2 to approve his nomination.

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