The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-08-19

This is the second of . series
 of two stories on the life of Sem
 ator Hugo L. Black of Alabama,
 confirmed by the United States Senate for the Supreme Court. By NEA Service
 Washington, Aug. 1e = Hugo LaFayette Black came to the Senate in 1927 under auspices that, failed to impress his col- leagues at the time, and which gave no hint of the turn of mind and the marked ability that were to be revealed later.
 Filling the shoes of Oscar Un- derwood was considered some- thing of task, for even those who disagreed with Underwood could not deny that he filled a very large pair of shoes. Underwood was one of the last of the Web- sterian type of "statesmansena tor" a national figure of heroic size.
 Hearing the loud claims of the Ku Klux Klan that they had elected Black, despite Blacks fre- quent campaign denials that he had ever been 8 member, senators feared that Alabama was about to produce another Tom Heflin.
 Scored Bonus Army Action
 They soon found out differently. Black, acknowledged himself a novice at the legislative game, sat quietly down to learn all about the rules of procedure before sounding off. During his first year Black was inconspicuous, notable only because he was once noted as one of the guests at @ Coolidge breakfast" at the White House.
 His first speech was a plea for government operation of Muscle Shoals, but as that directly affect ed Alabama, 1t was little noticed, except by such veterans of the public power fight as Senator Norris. He immediately sensed a new recruit and another ally.
 When the Bonus Army was evicted from its camp in Washing lngton in 1892, however, Black was one of few members of Congress who promptly repudiated and criticized the Hoover action. It was wholly unnecessary and ill., timed" cried Black, reminding the President that "the courts of the District of Columbia are still open and that any of the bonus msrchers who were criminals could be prosecuted,
 Staunch New Dealer
 Then came the New Deal, and Black, who had oeen a sort of New DOaler even before 1t came, joined It's ranks and has been one of it's must ardent and consistent support era ever since.
 Early in 1894 when the govern ment's airmail contracts were all summarily cancelled, and there vas considerable criticism. 1t was Sen- ator Black who rose to defend the government policy. "A contrac: awarded contrary to law or as the result of fraud is void" he urged. Tt rests on rotten foundation and cannot and should not stand Black had begun looking into sub sioy matters in 1880.
 Rapidly Black became the best informed man in the Senate on gov. ernment aid and ship subsidies. AS the result of Blacks committee in- vestigations of these subsidies, the whole policy of the government to- ward such aids to essential indus- tries was changed.
 Today we have policy of frank and open subsidy as such to the merchant marine instead of the fur tive subsidy through payment Of ridiculous sums supposedly for car- rying mall.
 Declared War on Lobbying
 If the government Is going to have to put up the money on these things, 1t gives the taxpayer an in- terest in the lines, and indicates If not actual government operation, at least greater government control or how the money shall be spent" was Blacks point of view.
 Blacks relentless croSs-exarlnl. nat'Jn in committee hearings, with tb< data gathered for him by an efI Alabama friend. Andrew c. Pat tsrson as chief investigator. threw much light on exact lobbying pro- cedure. His aversion to lobbying ac- tivities has become byword. It fur nished the background against which the utilities company bill was enacted.
 All this time Black had been