Imperial Valley press., 1941-09-19
by Peter Edison -.
The Inside Track in Washington

WASHINGTON. Sept. l9-Fresh-
man Senator Ernest w. Mcfarland
of Florence. Ariz., cut his senator
ial eyeteeth and. became hero the
other day in most amusing fashion,
and with a big, boyish grin start
ed biting his scoWling. deep dlah
colleagues OF the Interstate CON-
merce committee inquiring in
to propaganda aspects Of the moy-
les
1t was quite surprise TO every
o c. and perhaps most OF all to thc
47-year-old junior senator himself
But with Wendell Willkic, hired as
high priced counsel TO defend tie
movie moguls, theoretically 81
fenced and refused permission tC
cross-examine the witnesses. McFar-
land as the minority member Oh
of the sub committee began to do
a little cross examination on his
cwn account. And he stole thc
show. taking the play away from
such able debaters as Senator's Nyo
of North Dakota d Bennett Clark
of Missouri.
What wasn't generally known /.
that Mcfarland is an experienced
court lawyer. Even though he has
been in Washington only since jan
uary, back in Arizona he is known
as Judge Mack" CT the state sU-
perior court, and before that as a
trial lawyer he defended Wi ME
Ruth Judd of trunk murder fame.
getting her death sentence reduced
to insanity AS prosecuting attor-
ney Of Pinal county in 1928 he Sc
cured the conviction of Eva Dug9n,
the first woman to be executed .or
murder in Arizona.
JUST LIKE LAWING
After the first sessions of the
movie hearings were over, Mctar-
land admitted he got kick out OF
the proceed IS ,as he hadn't done
any trial lawyering for few years
but from this it should not be de-
duced that Mcfarland is handling
the minority end of the inquiry
just as lark He agrees that 1t
would have been a bad precedent
to let Willikic oSs-examinc wit
neSSeS.
Just why Mcfarland was put on
the subcommittee, Judge Mac
doesn't even know himself. The
chairman, Senator Worth Clark
of Idaho, and the other members
Tob2y of New Hampshire, Brooks
of Hi ois and Bone of Washing
ton, are all isolationists in thels
leanings. Mcfarland has distin-
guished himself principally by8keep-
ing his mouth shut. as freshman
senator perhaps should. He has.
made a couple of short speeches
and voted for lease-lend. other aG-
miniStration foreign policies, ano
he favored conscription.
McFarland's technique is perhaps
best illustrated by a. exchange witt
Senator Nye on the opening day OF
the session. Nye had just recited
a list of films he said were propa-
ganda and Mcfarland asked which
ones had been Objectionable.
Nye-It is most difficult. | 90
to a film tonight and tomorrow M
recollection is hazy. But l rcca.
Il Married a NaZi
McFarland--All right what va
Objectionable?
Nye-The injection Of scenes thai
tended to make one hate a whole
race of people.
McFarland--What portrayal in
duced hate?
Nye--I suggest you sec the pic
ture. There is in it spirit OF hate.
observation-disclosures a conclusion
Did you see Escape?
Nye-I can't remember. I am
afraid l am doing terrible injustice
to you when I inflict my conclds-
ions upon you
Mcfarland Don't worry about
me, I'll take care Of myself
DON'T WORRY ABOUT
THE JUDGE
That last phrase Is perhaps more
characteristic of the young senator
than anything that could be said
about him. for he has been taking
care Of himself quite we'll. thank
you, for almost as long as he can
remember climaxing with has de-
feat Of the veteran Senator Henry
F. Ashurst in the Arizona primary
in 1910 by two-to-one vote, after
AShurSt had been in Washington
% years
Mcfarland is a Dem0Crat, but
hes not sure that Ae likes beins