Evening star., 1941-06-23

once told a reporter who asked a
leading question on the next step
toward passage of bill:
Did you ever hear of a general
telling the enemy where he was 60
ing to move his troops the rtxt
day? They might all get killed"
When Senator Harrison was the
Democratic gadf1y on the back OF the
Republican elephant, some of his
most famous exchanges Of excoria-
ton took place with former Senator
Jim" Watson of Indiana. They
were personally good friends. On
one occasion Watson eSpouSed
measure which was vulnerable to
attack. and Senator Harrison de-
nounced not only the measure but
Watson himself After he had fin
ished, Senator Harrison wandered
over 10 Senator WatSon'S front-roW
desk, clapped him on the shoulder
and remarked: Jim, amt l the
worst demagogue you ever heard?"
Watsons reply was: NO, Pat, I
am
His irony in debate never left
scars and he had many friends
among the Republicans. Despite his
unceasing salvos against his favor
lite target, the Republican tariff
politics, the Smoots and others who
sat across the aisle admired him.
President Harding once described
him as the chief party trouble
maker in the Senate" and as man
who has said some things which
have made me lay my newspaper
down and turn to fresh pipe of
tobacco for consolation"
Yet President Harding wrote Sen
ator Harrison a friendly letter after
the MiSsissippian once made pleas
ing reference TO the Presidents S
father. who had attended a Con-
federate reunion in New Orleans.
Championed Business.
Senator Harrison, as chairman oi
the Finance Committee. handled
not only the bill to continue in ef-
feet the reciprocal trade agreements
but the original measure. the Ma
tional Industrial Recovery Act. under
which the blue eagle fiouriShed. the
Social Security Act, all the New DeaI
tax legislation. and the Soldiers
bonus legislation, which was vetoed
by President Roosevelt. but passed
over the veto. He was strongly in
sistent that industry be given q
chance to re-establiSh itself in this
country. and when he considered
that details of tax legislation advo.
Gated by the administration NIGH
prevent this, he opposed the Presi.
dent.
Known to the country as Pat
Harrison. the full name of the Mis-.
siSsippi Senator was Byron Pattor
Harrison. Patton was a family
name, but when he was boy, Sen
ator Harrison's friends invariably
called him Pat Thousands O
Americans of Irish blood came tt
believe that the Senator, too, wa
Irish" because of his name. H,
never used any other name thar
Pat Harrison after he entered Con
gress.
He was born at Crystal Springs
Miss, August 20, 1881, the son O
Robert A. and Anna (Patton) Har.
rison. A grandfather was Benjamin
Harrison, who moved from Virgini;
to Mississippi in the 10th cen
tury. His father was a soldier il
the Confederate Army and wa
wounded several times in battle
with the Union forces.
Attended L. S. U.
Pat Harrison, after finishing &
high school course, went to Louisiana
State University. He did not con
| clude the course, however, leaving
college to study law. While he wa!
studying law, he taught school a
Leakesville, Miss, and it was there
he opened law Office after he hac
been admitted to the bar in 1902.
little later he ran for the Office o.
| district attorney, was elected anc
served for six years. In 1910 HI
tossed his hat in the ring for the
House and was elected. He was re.
elected three times. In 1918 the latt
picturesque Senator James K. Var
daman, who had been politica
power in the State for years, was uI
for reelection. President Wilson
urged Vardaman's defeat because o.
his attitude during the troubles with
Germany and the World War. Gov
Noel was also a candidate. Tht
youthful Representative Harrison
however, took them both on anc
won.
In 1905 Senator Harrison married
Miss Mary Edwina McInnis o.
Leakesville. They moved to Gulf.
port in 1908.