Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-03-03

Whether or not 1t should confirm the
Presidents judgment and in the
meantime is waiting for a printed
report of hearings held by the
Senate Agriculture Committee.
thought could 60 through that
report, just as the Senators are ex-
pected to do. and give you the es-
sence of the case for and against
Mr.. Williams, but I've had to give
up the idea. Reading 100000 words
reveals there simply isn't any es-
sence.
Senator Lucas, a member of the
committee, may be correct when he
says, "Ninety-eight per cent of the
evidence presented before the COM
mittee would not stand the test if
offered before court of competent
jurisdiction" I wouldn't know
about that, but I defy anybody to
explain what SO per cent of it has
to do with Mr. Williams character
or his capacity to administer the
REA honestly and efficiently.
Some weird and wonderful per-
formanceS have occurred on the Hill,
but few have equaled this hearing
1t touched on everything under the
sun. Williams record in World War
Ia remarkably fine one, by the
way. Williams sons in this war-all
four of them are in it. Williams
education and how he got it. Will
liamS' views on Communism-views
incidentally, that might have upset
the Yalta Conference if they had
been heard there. Williams views on
the divinity of Christ. (Mr Williams
stood on his constitutional right to
keep that a matter between himself
and his Cod Williams views on
the race problem. Williams views
on school textbooks.
Was George w. Norris Cemmu-
mist? William Allen White? Shirley
Temple? The law of diminishing
returns. How many rich people die
from eating too much as compared
with the number of poor people that
die from eating too little? Are the
poor getting poorer and the rich
getting richer? Who won the Civil
War? Are symphony concerts COM
munistic? Senator Mcclellan seemed
to think they are.)
Everything but the care and feed
ing of infants. No, my mistake;
that actually got in.
It's too much for me. Let Senator
Aiken take over. He says:
Il do not want the hearings to
close without saying anything in be-
half Of Mr.. Williams. The testimony
which has been presented here in
opposition to Mr. Williams has been
principally based on hearsay, sup
position, apprehension and old-time
grudges, so far as I can see. II
What I have to say is based
solely on first-hand knowledge of
Mr.. Williams and his work. From
1887 to 1941 was Governor of the
State of Vermont and for about
three years Of that time Mr.. VIII
liams was the administrator of the
NYA here in Washington. I had to
deal with good many Federal
agencies during that time. Some
got along with and some I did not
get along with. But I want to say
that up in my State We consider the
NYA one of the very best of the
Government agencies set up during
this decade.
To my knowledge they appointed
an excellent administrator in the
State. They did not attempt to
dictate to him in any way on how
local matters should be handled
There was no evidence that the
agency engaged in politics in the
State of Vermont, or that the money
they spent was not well spent and
spent where it would do the most
good.
LAS testimony to the work which
was done by the NYA I will say that
1 have not had single letter from
Vermont opposing Mr.. Williams
nomination to the office of admins
traitor of the REA. =" There has
been no evidence presented here to