Evening star., 1941-06-23

welt would be the strongest candi-
date the Democratic party could
put forward. But long before the
Democratic National Convention, it
was Senator Harrison who helped
the Administration win its major
battle of the 1910 session of the
Senate, the extension of the Re-
ciprocal Trade Agreement Act. The
rapprochement between the White
House and Senator Harrison during
this battle in the Senate was signifi-
cant.
When July rolled around and the
Mississippi delegation went to the
Chicago national convention, it was
headed by Senator Harrison. The
delegation had been instructed to
vote for the Senator for the presi-
Dental nomination long before.
But Senator Harrison had insisted
for weeks that it support the re-
nomination of the President. The
delegation was always amenable to
that demand The Mississippi Sem
ator turned to and worked for the
Presidents denomination. and later.
during the campaign, despite the
fact that his health had begun to
fail. delivered speeches supporting
Mr.. Roosevelt.
Supported AL Smith.
Senator Harrison actively favored
the Presidents foreign policy. He
was the ranking Democratic men,
ber of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee after Chairman George.
The Mississippi Senator never
wavered in his strong allegiance to
the Democratic party He was one
of the Southern Senators who went
all out in his support of "Al'
Smith, former Governor of New
York. when the latter was nomi-
mated for President by the Demo-
Gratis in their Houston TEX ma
tional convention in 1928
Four years later, however, Sena-
tor Harrison early favored the
nomination OF the then Gov. Frank
lin D. Roosevelt of New York for
his party's presidential candidate.
He worked hard to bring about this
nomination, was one of the impor-
tant Roosevelt leaders in the 1882
convention and saw to it that the
Mississippi delegation. which was
split in its support of candidates.
remained in line for Roosevelt, held
there by the unit rule.
Friends of the Mississippi Senator.
knowing Of this loyal support which
Harrison had given to President
Roosevelt. were inclined to resent
strongly the White House opposition
to the election of Senator Harrison
for majority leader of the Senate
and its support for Senator Barkley.
Senator Harrison took his defeat
with good grace. 1t was on his mo-
ton, after the vote had been count
ed in the party caucus, that the Sc
lection of Senator Barkley was made
unanimous.
Loyal to President.
While on few occasionS-partic-
ularly in regard to certain details of
taxation and in regard to the Wage
Hour Act-Senator Harrison broke
with the President, the Mississippian
was entirely loyal to the New Deal
President, although some of the
New Deal PHILOSOPHERS were not his
own and some of the legislation ad-
vanced did not appear to him as
sound. His loyalty to the White
House reached a high point in 1885
when he took the rap" for the Pres
ident in the wake of a wave OF
criticism that greeted announce
ment of White House demands that
share the wealth" tax rider be
added in the Senate to a routine
joint resolution extending nuisanc,
taxes which already had passed the
House. He took the floor and
credited himself with having been
in error when he made the original
statement as he was leaving the
White House.
Adroit as Floor Leader.
He was always willing to play the
role Of pinch hitter" when legis-
lation became ensnared. He Liked
the baseball term, for it reminded
him of his early days, when he
played small league baseball on the
Mississippi Gulf Coast.
A report was current in 1885 that
he might become the head of Or
ganized baseball. Denying an offer
had been made, Senator Harrison
commented:
I've been in politics so long
would be like a fish out of water
| away from it."
His work as floor leader for q
measure was always interesting tc
watch. He did little speech making
Most of the time he traded, paci-
fed, flattered. Reporters liked to
watch the tall, stopped Senator
Harrison ambling about on the floor
or heading for the Senate cloak
room to nurse along q doubtful
mn hor n,yor ~,