The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-01-07
NEW SENATOR
WILL STAY IN
BACKGROUND

Probably the greatest contrast
offered in the Senate today Is the
picture of the new Senator from
Minnesota, Elmer A. Benson, occu.
plying the office formerly used by
Huey P. Long. ......
First there is the shrinkage OF
space. While Huey demanded
and received five rooms to care
FOR his large staff and mounds OF
mail, Senator Benson has been
allotted the minimum Of one prt-
yate office and a combination re-
Aception hall and clerical office.
And, too, Senator Benson's mail
on the first day after he took the
oath consisted Of two neat piles
OF letters hardly more than three
inches high.
i. Next is the quiet and -orderh.
ness. Gone are the sacks OF mail
piled man-high in corners. Gone
are the multitude Of sounds
emanating from q great corps OF
clerks and typists rushing out the
"Share-the- Wealth" propaganda.
Physical Dynamo Missing
And most noticeable Of all is the
absence of the physical dynamo
from Louisiana, who Stalked from
room to room shouting orders,
jerking telephones from their
hooks to carry on belligerent
conversations, and then rushing
away to deliver his bombing at
tacks on the Roosevelt policies.
In his place sits a broad
shouldered, square chinned, medt-
um,Sized man in dark blue
business suit with q conservative
red four-in-hand tie. He Is pleas
ant and shy in his conversation.
The rooms, now bare almost, with
lust the Scantiest Of office equip
ment, seem adequate for his pur-
poses and in fact he is not i'm
pressed or much perturbed over
his quarters. he says:
ooh, Yes, they're all right.
Personally, his demands Of life
are quite modest. For instance:
ooh, no Mrs. Benson and
have NO interest In society, and
I do not contemplate attending
social functions. I like hunting.
In my country we have pleas
ant and duck hunting. I under
stand you do not have very
much Of It here"
On the political side the new
Senator declares:
81 have no ambitions to be In
the forefront. I came here to
work quietly. My main interest
will be agriculture, rs that Is the
main industry in my State"
Keeps in Background
Appointed to the Interstate
Commerce, Mines and Mining,
Public Lands and Claims Com
mittee, he was offered the bank
ing and Currency Committee, but
did not care for it, and took the
Interstate Commerce instead. He
will tell you:
81 intend to abide by the Gus
tom of new Senators and keep
in the background"
Mrs. Benson accompanied her
husband to washington.
She is looking for living
quarters. She desires an apart
ment and the Senator said he
had learned they were very
scarce. He has a son, Thomas, 2,
and q daughter, Lois, 10. They
are In school and Mrs. Benson
expects to go home and bring
them to Washington as soon as
they have found q place to live.
AS for living in Washington
Senator Benson remarked:
Frankly / never liked large
towns. / was born and reared
In o small town and like
them much better than I do
cities"
Senator Benson's staff includes
80 far, Miss Evelyn Kelly. Of
Minneapolis, his personal secre-
tary, and c. D. Johnston, Of st.
Paul as Secretary. Mr.. Johnston
was formerly q political writer
and for the past two years was
editor Of the Minnesota Leader, Q
Farmer Laborite journal.