Evening star., 1936-03-29
Senator Black Defies Forces
He Believes Are 'Gangiing' Hin,
Sch,ueIIenbach and Min
ton Main Support of
Lobby Probe
BY CARLISLE BARGERON.

There seems to be nc diminishing
the fire of Senator Hugo Black when
he takes to the Senate floor to defend
the activities of his Lobby Investigat-
ing Committee. He breathes the same
defiance, there is no sign of weaken
ing in his voice.
But the truth is that the Senator
appears to be distressed. He has
harried look. When you talk with
him of the floor he Is nervous and
cagey. He studies you in an effort
to determine whether you are friend
or foe.
What he considers evil influences,
influences Of greed and corruption,
sordid influences that have no regard
for the people-these influences are
"ganging" him. They've got him up
against the wall. Whether they are
the sort of influences he thinks they
are Is not materially in point. What
ever they are they are pressing the
Senator so tightly that f1guratively he
is becoming short of breath. He gives
the impression of not knowing how
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of being determined to fight out of it
some way. And he knows that he
has got to fight out of 1t alone-well,
with such assistance as two Of his
committee colleagues, Senators Schwel-
lenbach and Minton, can give him.
But mostly it Is his own fight.
Confident Light in Eyes.
He shouts belligerency at the forces
which are closing in on him and at
the height Of these denunciatory ex-
cursions that familiar twinkle comes
to his eyes, the same twinkle that
precedes his pouncing on hapless
witness. It's light Of confidence. Of
assurance that serves momentarily as
tonic. But when he concludes and
looks around there is friendliness only
in the eyes of Schwellenbach and
Minton, who always move over to sit
beside him. The few other Senators
who are on the floor eye him unsym-
pathetically. Their expressions seem
to say: Hugo, you are in an awful
hole and getting in deeper as you try
to get out"
There has been only one exception
to this. Senator Bennett Clark, who
had an experience" only a few weeks
ago as member of the Nye NUM-
tions Committee, and who appreciates
what Black is going through, did rise
to give him little lift" the other
day. that is. he interrupted Black to
develop friendly point. Recalling the
Nye Committees untimely end, it
seems to be a bad season for Senate
Investigating Committees.
But from no other Senators has he
received any support. The merits of
the issue aside, their view is that Black
has gotten hold of hot potato. 1t is
up to him to get rid of it as best he
can. 1t isn't so much a case of
whether he did right or wrong. He
has brought the New Deal in for con-
siderable embarrassment. The oppo-
nents are having a field day with their
reign of terror" charge In party
politics men are not patted on the
back who serve up ammunition to the
opposition like this. Only Friday. the
Senate Audits and Accounts Commit
tee. of which Senator Byrnes is chair
man, cut IN half his request for more
funds. He asked for $4,000 and got
sl2,5o0. They don't want to cut him
of abruptly. They want him 10 ease
out Of this thing gracefully.
Investigators Misunderstood.
In talking with Black one gets the
impression this is what he wants to
do. You feel, though, that should he