Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-24
SENATE WILL MISS
REED AND BRUCE
Towering Figures to Retire.
BeIIicosity and SchoIasticism
of Pair Are Admired.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

With the impending departure of
James A. Reed of Missouri and William
Cabell Bruce of Maryland. the Senate
loses two of its towering figures. The
structure of congressional eloquence
will be deprived of a pair of its
stanchest props. Public life in general,
it is admitted alike by friends and foes
of the retiring Democrats, will be the
poorer for their going. What the Sem
ate loses prohibition and the Anti
Saloon League gains, for it happens
that Jim" Reed and Bruce are the
most uncompromising as we'll as the
most forceful enemies the dry cause
has ever had on Capitol Hill.
The story goes that Senator Reed
declined denomination for fourth sue
cessive term in state of pique. He
had given many of his friends, at least.
to understand that he was disguised"
with public life at Washington. He
said it reeked with hypocrisy" and
"inSincerity." He had come to the
conclusion that statesman with far
reaching ideals couldn't get anywhere"
amid conditions prevailing on the Po-
tomac. Then came his 1923 presi-
dental ambitions, doomed to be ship
wrecked by the tidal wave on nation
wide demand for the nomination of
Smith. Reed took his defeat philo-
sophically on the face of things, but
his admirers believe he took it previously
to heart.
Foe Of Woodrow Wilson.
Once upon a time "Jim" Reed de-
rived his greatest Joy in the Senate
from rough-riding and relentless attack
on all and sundry that his path crossed
He elevated Woodrow Wilson to the
pinnacle Of his chief hate IL years ago,
and throughout the war-though the
Missourian loyalty supported all Gov
eminent war measureS-and during the
bitter Versailles treaty fight, Reed was
an inveterate foe of the late Democratic
President. Wilsonians account him as
probably the deadliest enemy that Will
son had. Some of them go the length of
blaming the Senator for most Of the
war Presidents troubleS-physical as
well as political
Reed came to the Senate with proud
record as a prosecutor. His earliest
Congressional Record autobiographies
narrate that as attorney of Jackson
County, Missouri he tried 287 cases
and secured convictions in 285 of them"
For many years his whole manner in
the Senate was that of the prosecutor.
He tackled legislative matters in the
spirit of a man pounding away at a
criminal in the dock. Debating OPP
ponents seldom found quarter at his
hands. Few of them ventured to cross
swords with him. Those who did usual
ly came off second best.
With advancing years-Reed leaves
Congress in the midst of his sixty ninth
year--the MisSourian has mellowed
There is more of the milk of human
kindness in his blue eyes than there
used to be, and little less asceticism
in his tone when he is assailing a pet
aversion or opponent on the Senate
floor. Now and then he has even
brought himself to speak softly of
Woodrow Wilson. Undoubtedly, now
Reed regrets that he chose to 60. He
could probably have had a fourth and
fifth term for the asking. His COL
leagues would have rejoiced II he had so
decreed. Dozens OF them bear the scars
of his haying voice. But they wish
he would stay on to apply the lash
indefinitely.
Bruce Is Scholar.
Just about the time the late Henry
Cabot Lodge left it and the Marylander
inherited the Massachusetts, mans
mantle as the scholar of Congress-
Bruce is not in the same class with
Reed or Borah as an orator, but there
Is depth of intellect and background
OF culture behind what he says in de-
bate that is probably lacking in the
eloQuence OF his more silver tongued
colleagues from the West. Bruce
would have made q distinguished edu-
Gator If he had not preferred the law.
Like Lodge, he is an historian. He has
written biographies of Benjamin Frank
lin and of John Randolph. While at
the University Of Virginia-the Senator
Is a son Of the Old Dominion-he won
prizes IN debating in competition with
Woodrow Wilson. He is the proud
possessor Of classic honor, the Jeffer-
son Medal for the best essayist and the