Evening star., 1936-02-11
S|SSON-BLANTON
ROW ST|RS HOUSE
Zioncheck InjeCts Self Into
Singing Debate of Com
muniSm Issue.

charges were hurled on the floor. At !
one point, it appeared that Repre-
sentative Zioncheck, Democrat, OF !
Washington, might come to blows with !
Blanton.
The unexpected clash between |
Blanton, and Zioncheck was one OF |
the high lights of the debate. Zion
check, aroused over Blanton's re-
mark that "he must have been
doped" when the communism rider
was adopted by the House at the last
session, left his seat and walked
down the aisle toward the Texan
and standing toe to toe demanded
that his words be taken down." This
was preliminary to move for ex-
punging the remarks from the Rec
ord
Claims Effect Opposite.
At the outset Sisson contended that
the law was put through unfairly by
Blanton and that the effect has been
exactly the opposite of its purpose by
enticing youths to study up on such
subjects and attend communistic
meetings.
Sissons speech was in reply to
attacks upon him last Wednesday and
last Friday by Blanton following an
address by Sisson at the Cosmos Club
before a gathering of prominent edu-
Gators. Sisson said that practically
every one present agreed with what 7
had to say and my purpose in saying
it, He urged his colleagues to read
the speech.
He also asked the members of the
House to make some investigation as
to the effects of this law in the District
schools"
In censoring Blanton for unfair
ness, Sisson said Blanton resorts to
personalities and used his congress
sional immunity" to attack men on
the floor of the House, where he is
safe and where they cannot reach
him"
Assails Fairness"
His kind of fairness is about the
same as striking another man when
he is blindfolded and has his hands
tied behind his back" said Sisson.
He accused Blanton of taking up
more. of the time of the House and in
cidentally costing the taxpayers of
this country more money for print
ing his statements about his extreme
fairness, his super honesty and his
value as a watchdog over the Dis
trict of Columbia and of the Treas
ury than any other five members of
the House"
Sisson said. in conclusion, that he
Is determined "on ridding the statute
books of this obnoxious piece of leg
islation an un-American
thing"
An outburst of applause greeted
Sisson when he concluded his speech.
Blanton then pointed out that the
controversy started when a morning
newspaper quoted Sisson as having
said that he and Representative Can
non, Democrat. of Missouri, former
chairman of the House Subcommit-
tee on Appropriations. in charge of
the District supply bill, had slipped
the rider through "in a cowardly
way Blanton said after reading
that story he telephoned Sisson and
was told the newspapers had mis-
quoted him.
Later, however. Blanton declared, he
read similar statement in the same
newspaper.
Tells of Call to Sisson.
Blanton said he called Sisson on
the phone and told him he was
going to reply to the Cosmos Club
address on the floor and ask him
to be present. But" he shouted,
"he didn't come"
Blanton then repeated a story he
once before has told the House of
now the rider was attached to the
appropriation bill and declared that
Sisson could have prevented its adop-
ton by raising a point of order against
It, He said, however, that Sisson
was not on the floor at the time.
AT this point. Representative Zion
check, Democrat, of Washington said
I was on the floor at the time the
rider was adopted as well as so other
members of the House and that was
the only time I ever heard Tom Blan-
ton speak in a muff1ed tone!"
Meet Toe to Toe.
THAT motion was made by Mr.. Can
non and not by me-" Blanton said.
THE gentleman from Washington
must have been doped."
Zioncheck turned, walked down the
center of the aisle toward Blanton
and standing toe to toe declared:
What meant was that you were
standing by Cannon and you were
telling him what to do in muff1ed
tones"
That's as assinine as the other re-
marks Of the gentleman" interrupted
Blanton.
The bedlam broke loose about this
time and Speaker Byrns raped con-
tinuously for order.
In the midst of the disturbance
zioncheck moved that Blanton's
words be taken down" Blanton,
however, withdrew the remarks and
proceeded with the speech after Ma
jority Leader Bankhead held a whis-
pered conversation with him in the
well Of the House. Again zioncheck
interrupted with demand that Blan-
tons words be taken down."
II am perfectly willing to have my
words taken down." replied Blanton.
The Texan then took his seat as
Speaker Byrns and Lewis Deschler,
parliamentarian of the House, grabbed
an enormous dictionary and struggled
through its pages to find definition
of the word Jasmine"
Language Upheld.
After several minutes delay the
Speaker said he did not see any OBJ
lection to the language used by Blan-
ton and pointed out also that ''the
Language doesn't even refer to the
gentleman from Washington
Il thought was being compli-
mented by the gentleman from
Texas" interjected zioncheck. "And
now that I find that I am not, I with