Evening star., 1941-06-23
Senator Harrison

When Pat Harrison left college to
teach school and study for the bar,
it was in the sleepy little town Of
Leakesville, in Green County, Missis-
sippi, that he settled. Even today
the place has less than nine hundred
inhabitants. Only by a prodigious
exercise of the imagination could it
be considered an ideal springboard
for a great career in education or the
law or politics. But the youthful
novice realized that it was a nearly
perfect background for the work he
wished to do. Perhaps he had read
in Plutarch or Longfellow the story
of the pragmatist who was content
to be first in little Iberian village"
In any case, he served his apprentice
ship in an obScurity which was dis
tinctly friendly. From it he emerged
into the arena of national affairs an
acknowledged leader.
The time of Mr.. Harrison's appear
ance in Washington similarly was
propitious. Republican fortunes were
declining. Democrats had con-
troll of the House of Representatives.
Succeeding Eaton j. Bowers, the new
member for the Magnolia State was
"ahead of trend" His partisan in
stinctS were strong, his perSpicacity
exceptional. The liberal movement
which shortly was to bring Woodrow
Wilson to the White House may not
have appealed to him at the start,
but he soon made practical adjust
ment to it which later was to profit
him exceedingly.
Fate favored him again when
James K. Vardaman failed to give
wholehearted support to American
participation in the first World War.
Mr.. Harrison circularized the voters
with cards which stigmatized his
rivals pacifistic views. The issue be-
came one of patriotism, and the re-
suit was the elevation of the Leakes-
vile lawyer to the Senate. He won
the place in fair fight, then justified
1t by unfaltering devotion to the well
fare of his constituents. A certain
natural genius for figures gave him
the power to master the financial
problems of the Government. He
earned celebrity for his knowledge Of
budget procedure.
During the administrations Of
three Republican Presidents he
likewise gained fame as a critic
both at the Capitol and in the
country at large. His sarcasm was
devastating when applied to policy
or procedure to which he was op-
posed. Always an excellent pleader,
he also was a keen analyst. The
two talents constituted the force
necessary for his effective achieve
ment as a spokesman of the opposi-
| ton. 1t is true that when conditions
changed and Franklin D. Roosevelt
assumed the leadership of his party,
he often was as much "out of STEP
as ever he had been in the days of the
Old Deal. The explanation was that
Mr. Harrison was instinctively con-
servative, and it will be as a states
man who preferred "the middle OF
the road" in life that he will be re-
membered.
The senior Senator from Missisi-
sippi in every basic consideration
was philosopher who taught
by example the efficiency of sweet
reasonableness. Even when he lost
his temper, as occasionally he did, he
still was loved by his colleagues and
admired and respected by the gen.
eral public. Dying at f1fty-nine, his
departure will be mourned by all who
appreciated his personal charm, his
attainments and the grace with
which he filled the high office to
which he rose through demonstrated
merit.