The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-04-11

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4 Mykr11l. 7 Ths sumner fnn5G .,; Of
Reed in his darkest hour. For his
part in beating the League Of Ma
tons plan, leaders and members
Of his party had applied epithets
that made traitor" and renegade"
seem mild. The ominous shadow
Of Woodrow Wilson's hatred hung
over him, a shadow tinged with
popular sympathy for the sick man
at his home on S street here.
Reed. running for reelection for
another six-year term, was opposed
in the Democratic primary by
Breckenridge Long, who had been
third assistant secretary of state
under Wilson. In a public letter,
Wilson denounced Reed-as he had
done many times beforehand asked
Missouri Democrats to vote for
Long.
Everything Against Him
It seemed that every mans hand
was against him. Even his OPP
ponent was campaigning with the
blessing of the party's leader, a
fallen but still mighty star. 1t
was up to Reed to placate the hos
tility he found everywhere. He
must make peace.
How did he do it?
With a snarl! With fierce, Bit
ter, last-ditch campaign in which
he asked no quarter and gave none.
With a fighting on his enemies and
refusal to soften or apologize for
single one Of the acts that had
brought him unpopularity. That
was Jim Reeds way Of making
peace.
Fighting =. fighting -. /.
fighting; all / ever got in this world
I've had to fight for" has been
Reeds cry through life.
Here is a sample Of Jim Reeds
tactics during that historic campaign
of 1922 when he started his come
back"
Before a platform Illuminated by
kerosene flares in a small Missouri
town, a dense crowd of farmers
and their wives are packed. Reed
in his shirt sleeves, moves to the
front of the platform and looks out
sternly over his audience. Pres
emily, in a harsh, rasping voice he
speaks.
Should Do Own Thinking
who told you that a president
has the right to think for you and
me, anyway" he begins. Thus he
meets the charge that he had been
unfaithful to Wilson.
Then he grins a broad. good.
humored grin and his voice be.
comes playful.
did Brecky Long tell YOU that -
he asks. "Why. see here, folks
what if I should be elected presi.
dent some day and Brecky had tt
let me do his thinking for him !
Don't you see what an awful fix
we'd both be in?"
| The crowd chuckles.
! Suddenly, Reeds face dlstorts K
a snarling mask, his harshness re.
turns and he thunders out:
when l opposed some of the
things that the president wanted
wasn't fighting the president
was fighting for you people. Thi:
isn't a one-man government. Thi;
is a government Of 100000 r1ey
and women. You sent me to con
gress to agree with the presiden
when | believed he was right anc
to fight him when ! believed HI
was wrong-didnt you?"
Cry of Defiance
Ga thu erneNt1 -i..SA..~.
to honely hunor at times but al
ways carrying the incisive cry o
defiance. Act by act, Reed tool
up his record, shouting his expla
nation and renewing his assault Q,
Wilson. With variations, the seem
was repeated nightly throughou
Missouri.
He refused to be put on the de
fensive. He was forever attackin,
attacking, attacking fighting
fighting, fighting.
Reed was renominated triumph
antly and reelected by $4,000 votes
He returned to the Senate to re
sumo his spectacular career.
Gets Into Three Fights
/ For a time, he seemed subdus
weary and disheartened-bu no
for long. In the 69th congress
he got into three outstanding fight
and although he lost all three
his reputation and prestige in
creased. He took the leadershi
Of the arti-World Court crowd ava
{ from Borah and held it to the enc
He assailed the Mellon tax bill. H
!; was one Of the leaders in the figh
! over the Italian debt settlement.
In 1926, he suddenly picked u
the prohibition issue and made
alive again. During the ordinaril
routine consideration Of wet an
dry bills by the judiciary commit
; tee, he dragged high prohibition Q,
ficials on the stand. He develope
that 100000 gallons of bonde
J, alcohol were escaping annually frol
s the government; drew out an est
h mate that there were 100000 lille
8 stills operating in the United Stat.
: and got General Lincoln Andrew
enforcement chief, to say that Or,
) hibition enforcement would be gres
!, " nmplified if the sale Of beer ",
). legslized.
}, Reed wanted to cross-examir
the late Wayne B. Wheeler, gener
Is counsel Of the Saloon Leaeu
z but Wheeler was canny enough
Z appear 1t this hearing o couns,
Reed wanted 70 probe thu who
league from end to end.
5. But finally the chance came. d,
a ing Reeds scathing investigate,
= at the Ware election n Hounsylyau
which he started. A Tia rea,,lt