Evening star., 1940-01-20

mated in 1928 and his activities were
an important factor in Hoover's
election.
But he broke with the Republican
President soon after he went into
Office and the blows he rained on
Mr.. Hoover during the years he was
in Office were probably more telling
than any delivered by the Demo-
Gratis.
He fought provisions of the
Smoot- tariff, and in 1892
rather than leave the party-he
kept silent during the Hoover
Roosevelt campaign. His subse-
quent relations with the New Deal
have been no more friendly.
Perhaps no more powerful mag
netic figure walked the political
stage in his time than the Lion OF
Idaho" He welded enormous per-
sonal influence even when most at
outs with the leadership of his party.
Yet the urge that impelled him to
championship of under dogs"
whether nations struggling for inde-
pendence or human beings whom
he considered ground down by polit-
ical or economic circumstances, never
quite drove him out of the fold of the
Republican party.
For years, he was chairman Of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
and was its ranking minority men,
ber at the time of his death. His
chairmanships also included the
Committees on Education and Labor
and 1nteroceanic Canals.
His record embraced credit for
such major pieces Of legislation as
the income tax and direct election Of
Senators amendments to the Con-
stitution and of the bills which Gre
ated the Department of Labor and
the Children's Bureau. He sup
ported the prohibition amendment
and was stout crusader for the pri-
mary system.
Advocates Russian Recognition.
He introduced bills also providing
an eight-hour day for Federal en-
ployes, free tolls for American ships
through the Panama Canal, the
postal savings system and extension
of farm loans to reclamation prof.
ects.
In the international field he wa!
- in addition to being one OF
the "irreconcilables" in opposing
American membership in the League
of Nations critic of Grea
Britain on the subject of Irish free
dom and an advocate Of recognition
of the Union of Socialist Soviet Re
publics.
AS a champion of Russian recog
milton he provided many American
with letters of introduction to Mos
COW officials and often was referre'
! to as "Russia's unof1cial passpor
: bureau" Soviet oficials communi
Gated with him frequently.
He explained his Russian attitud
in March, 1881, when he said:
II would establish normal rela
tions with the Russian government
In doing so I would not indors
: that government or the communis
tic theory, but I would have no fea
Of contact with It,"
Immediately after the World We
he began q campaign for the n
lease of political prisoners. Il
:, opposed American military occupe
ton of Haiti and San Domingo an
= advocated small army and gener
disarmament.
4 He was known as q friend Of labt
q and initiated several Senate II
vestigations of working condition
4 in the coal and steel industries. AL!
y he was an advocate of economy ar
!. largely on that ground opposed Il
y soldier bonus system. He was #
- of high tariffs and fought Canadis
&c reciprocity.
l. One of the first to sense Il
d breaking down Of party lines,
4 nevertheless would have no pa
y in third party movements. Tv
It parties, he held. was the ideal .