The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-10-04

| WHEREBY n g
House Of Representatives put itself
on record, by 360-to-29 vote, as fav-
oring this country's participation in
an international effort toward last
ing peace. 1t Is doubtful that even
the laconic Calvin Coolidge ever
said so little and made such q hit
with the public. Those 55 words
have made their author, for the
moment at least, the most popular
and souglt-after member Of Con-
gress.
Within week after Fulbright's
resolution was passed, he had
broadcast on the March Of Time"
and the New York Times win the
Peace Forum" and had been q guest
on Information, Please" His full
schedule had forced him to decline
invitations for other radio appear
ance on the University OF Chicago
Round Table and Congress Speaks
and for dozens Of speaking engage
ments.
That isn't bad for q 3e-year-old
freshman legislator from the Ozarks.
All he needs now to become typ
ical American celebrity Is for Holly
wood to start bidding for the movie
rights to his 55-word declaration.
NO PUBLICITY HOUND
But Fulbright Is no seeker after
publicity. He Is naturally pleased at
the outcome Of the House vote. But
his pleasure Is in the fact that
! branch OF Congress has taken the
step outlined in this measure, rath.
er than In his authorship Of 1t.
James william Fulbright CHS
Il ENDS call him Bill, not Jin) Is
q handsome man, black-haired,
blue eyed, tanned and muscular. He
was a varsity halfback and a let
terman In tennis at the University
OF Arkansas, besides being presi-
dent of the student body. He was
smart enough to win O Rhodes
scholarship to oxford after his
graduation In 1925, and husky
enough to win place over there on
an international lacrosse team that
toured the United States.
Fulbright Is serious student OF
international affairs, and q man
who takes his congressional duties
to heart. At the same time, he is
genial and likeable. He has way OF
/ getting on with people. And, al
though his campaign last fall was
his first taste Of politics, he seems
to possess an unusual amount OF
political savvy.
He needed all these qualities to get
himself and his resolution where
they are today. For the whole his
tory Of the Fulbrig1lt resolution Is
one OF extreme audacity, II judged
! by conventional standards.
| In the first place, Fulbright is the
lowest ranking member OF the House
Foreign Affairs Committee. He came
to Congress with burning desire
for membership In that august
body and, with the help Of his col
leagues In the Arkansas delegation,
he made 1t. But It just wasn't con-
gressional cricket for the lowest
ranking membr to introduce, as his
first piece Of legislation, what from
a historical standpoint Is certain
ly the most important measure Of
the session.
TACTFUL TOE
Fulbright knew what to do, how
ever, once he got his toe IN the door.
He was careful throughout, nevr
forcing his way, never sticking his
neck out, making no bad mistakes.
His committee colleagues added II
words TO the original 38 OF his res
olution, apparently, 1t would seem,
because 1t Is q traditional legisla-
tive habit to add, subtract and pick
to pieces. They did not change the
fundamental meaning.
A more irnpetuous first-former
might have fought this tinkering.
But not Fulbright. He knew what he
wanted and, by compromise, he got
It, The IA Democrats and II Repub-
licans OF the Foreign Affairs Com
mittee voted out the resolution
unanimously.
The Fulbright resolution got the
expected opposition from the ex-
pected sources in debate on the
floor. Here agan its author conduct
ed himself with tact and intelli-
gence. He made probably the clear
est, most temperate and convincing
of all the speechs in the measures
favor.
He won the admiration of most
of his colleagues, and his IS words
won a thumpingly conclusive vote.
They even lined up such poles-apart
representatives as Hamilton Fish
and Vito Marcantonio on the same
side of the fence.
And that, for a freshman con-
gresham or anyone else. is quite an
achievement.