The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-07-06
Congressmen No Tom Cots
By FREDERICK c. OTHMAN

Washington, July 6.-(UP)-Let's get straight now on the fact that it isn't me comparing two congress men to tom cats who should be held up by their tails, face to face, un- til they lose all their fur and so make peace.
 I wouldn't write such a thing about the gentleman from Missis- sippi. Rep. John E. Rankin. Nor would I say it about his colleague from Georgia, Rep. Malcolm c. Tar yer. It took Rep. Eugene Cox, also of Georgia, to suggest the tom cat treatment for his fellow states men.
 No telling what was wrong with the boys. The heat, maybe. Rep. Tarver said he'd engaged in a col- loquy-that's the word he used the other day with Rep. Rankin about rural identification. Imagine his surprise, Rep Tarver said, to read in the Congressional Record the next day something that never was said on the floor.
 He said Rep. Rankin revised his own answers in print, so that they didn't fit Rep. Tarver's questions, thereby making the gentleman from Georgia look foolish. He demanded that the Record be corrected. Rankin said he'd be doggoned if he'd sub- init his literary compositions to Tarver censorship.
 This went on for an hour and a half, while the Republicans chor- tied, other matters of importance waited, and the Messrs. Rankin and Tarver waved their arms, shouted and grew red in the face. Rep Cox took advantage of momen- tarily lull to say:
 T wish the gentlemen would find it pleasing to themselves to con. sider some cats we used to have in Georgia.
 We had two old, CT, boy cats ant the only way we could solve theil controversies was to hold 'em ur by their tails and put them fac, to face.
 'In this way they lost all theil hair, but they eventually composed their differences. That is what now suggest for the gentlemen iron Georgia and Mississippi"
 Messrs. Rankin and Tarver wert too sore at each other to consider Rep. Cox program. They ignored him. The louder they fought, tht more the Republicans laughed. Even tually Sen. Arthur H. Vandenberg o. Michigan dropped in to observe tht fray.
 Rep. Clarence Brown of Ohit tiptoed to Speaker Sam Rayburn who was wearing out his gave trying to keep the battlers in parlia. mentary order. Rep. Brown said sotto voice, that he's read in tht papers where Dade county, Ga. decided only a couple of days ago tC merge with the rest of the U. s. A. and that for the first time since 1863, Vicksburg, Miss, had observed the Fourth of July. Since both Georgia and MiSSis. sippi have been out of step for se long," Rep. Brown said, T suggest you rule both of these fellows out of order"
 Speaker Rayburn was too busy umpiring the battle to act on that Reps. Tarver and Rankin were standing toe to toe-almost as close as those Tom cats-waving Con- gressional Records in each others faces.
 "Now will the gentleman yield?' Rep. Tarver remanded.
 T. will not" Rankin cried.
 "Of course the gentleman will no yield" Rep. Tarver shouted.
 T protest" Rep. Rankin screamed T did not yield and yet this, thii gentleman keeps on interruptini and"
 Speaker Rayburn told Rep. Tar yer to desist and Rep. Jessie Sum mer of Illinois said she always hae wondered whether the Congressiona record was supposed to print wha Congressman said, or what the, would have liked to say. She sail there was q difference.
 Came then a peacenaker, Rer | Matthew M Neelx. of West Vir