The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-08-15

 marble columns imbedded in the tions. The rear half is occupied of folding chairs for spectators. a semi-circular dais. In the VI table at which sit witnesses and an official shorthand reporter.
 This is the setting in which are taking place the daily ex- plosions of the seante lobby in- vestigation.
 Red Hot
 Room 357 is air-conditioned, but most of it's witnesses look as if they had burst from the steam of Turkish baths.
 And with good reason.
 Never in long annals of con- gressional investigation has there been as tough a group of in- quisitors as the one now func- tioning.
 Of the five members four Black, Minton, Schwellen- back and GibsOn-.-arc former prosecuting attorneys of exc tensive experience. The only non-lawyer of the committee is North Dakota's Progressive. Republican Frazier, a bitter foe of utilities.
 Another vital factor making for high-water mark effective ness is the complete harmony and one-mindednesS of commit- tee members.
 There is no packstage bick- ering, no pulling and hauling to console nervous witnesses as is the lobby probe by the House.
 The senate probers are as one man in the pursuit of "the truth and nothing but the truth" The result is nerve- racking for those summoned be- fore them.
 Scalpel Wielder
 Of the five men Hugo Black is the best scalpel wielder.
 In fact the skill of the slen. der, hawk.faced Alabaman pales even the memory of the senate's two most famous inc vestigators, the late Tom Walsh and grand.standing Jim Reed.
 There is no grand-standing about Black. Behind his dis arming smile Is steel-trap mind. To his genius as a cross- examiner he has quality large ly lacking in both Walsh and Reed-tactical finesse.
 Here is a sample of his wili- ness.
 When a new batch of witt nesses appears before the com fnittee, Black swears them in together, but before they can sit down he asks all but one to re- main outside. Each witness is questioned without knowing what the other said. This Is an in- novation in Congressional in- vestigations. And it has pro- duced remarkable results.
 By this method Black forced the York, Pa., repre- sentative of Associated Gas and Electric to admit that he had been ordered to destroy the records of anti-Holding Bill lobbying so that they should not fall into tho hands of the Senate probers.
 It was by this method also that he completely befuddled Texas Representative Nat Pat ton regarding the mysterious gift package described as almost everything, from cigar box, a package of books, to a small parcel containing something that "moved".
 The only definite thing about 1t was the fact that its doner was John W. Carpenter, head of Texas Power & Light, utility holding corporation.
 Gall and WormwOod
 A delegation of congressmen were about to call on Roosevelt to urge American intervention in the Mexican anti-Catholic drive.
 At an advance meeting Massa- chusetts' John P. Higgins, chair man, asked If all those present intended to go to the White House next day.
 "WcIl," observed tubby, bearded George Holden Tink- ham, . Boston Brahmin and arch.rcpublican partisan. "it is gall and wormwood for me to visit Roosevelt, but suppose I'll have to go."
 No sooner had Tinkham stepped into the White House the next day than Roosevelt singled him out for special greeting.
 George" he shouted en- alphabetically, "how arc you? It certainly is pleasure to see you again."
 Tinkham flushed a, deep red. His colleagues broke ino laugh ter. The president looked sur- prised, but no one let him in on the joke-not even Tinkham. Another Lobby
 It is an !ll wind that blows no one any good.
 With official and public at- tention focused on the power lobby the shipping lobby is talk Horoscope