The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-03-29
Verbal Tilt In Congress Rocks Roof
 Democrats Charge
 SmOaFIRg by COP.
 On haFhOF Probe
By FREDERICK C. oTHMAN fVtnliad prass Staff CorresnOntlent ]

0Y ANH0GAhANA VI V AANAAAN United Press staff Correspondent
 washington, March 29--1t is a nerve- -shatterlng experience, can tell you, visiting the House of Rep resentatlVes in these parlous times. Makes you wish you'd remembered to bring along your air raid warden hat In case the esfiag falls,
 There were two leading Congress men trying to climb down each others throats without even remoy- ing their broganS, The Democrats were cheering; the Republicans were going, Boo, boo, boo;" an un- identified Snake-ln-th -the-graSs was hlssing, and I was scared I have watched riots develop in my day l started to scram
 old hands In the press galleries restrained me, They said this was nothing unusual in the springtme of an election year They said the boys Everybody now was shouting simply were getting in practice for the political battles to come, They said the ceiling recently had been reinforced and the danger was slight. resumed my seat, but l remained on the alert ready to jump,
 Rep. Prank B. Keefe an Oshkosh, Wis, Republican, said he'd read m the papers that Democratic Lead CT John w. Mccormack had made speech last Saturday night claim Ing all the Republicans on the Pearl Harbor Investigating Committee had acted disgracetully He said he had not either, performed dis- gracefully. That started It.
 Mccormack laughed He said he meant all the Republicans on the committee except Keefe, for whom he had the highest regard, The Republicans hooed; the Democrats cheered,
 Rep. Bertrand W, Gearhart of Fresno, Cal, said, hey, he was a Republican and he was on the com mittee He said he'd been insulted, He said he defled Mccormack to show him one place in l3,000 pages of Pearl Harbor testimony where he'd said anything disgracetul,
 Hooray, the Republicans cried, Boo, the Democrats booed
 "l care not for the attacks on the left-wing smear-bund," the chubby Gearhart shouted.
 can the gentleman from Cali- fornia say he has not been witch huntlngp" screamed the tall, gray haired Mccormack, The booers re- versed sides again with the cheer CTS.
 q defy you. :" shouted Gear hart,
 You. you. :" yelled Mccor- mack,
 They shook their fists They made so much noise the stenogra- pher, who was supposed to record the words of the statesmen for pos terity, laid down his fountain pen, His expression was what I'd call re. signed.
 There was SO much noise now you almost could see 1t, The speaker banged his gavel. The hissing grew louder, A soprano Congresswoman screamed for order order, order. Gearhart said he'd been subjected to no more criticism than Keefe.
 You are trying to ride in on the back of the gentleman from Wis consin," Mccormack yelled. q am not" Gearhart yelled back,
 "The gentleman from Wisconsin, is an entirely different kind of gen. tleman than the gentleman from California" Mccormack screamed
 "Why. :" shouted Gearhart, you. ,"
 "Yes," shouted Mccormack, q said it Saturday and I say 1t again that the Republicans on that Pearl Harbor Committee (not you, Keefel were trying to smear President Roosevelt"
 Will you yield?" demanded Rep Robert (wherell you get the money) Rich of Pa
 NO. no, no" Mccormack shouted, And so on for about 10 more min utes. Then everybody got busy on the second deficiency bill, The ceiling didn't fall Next time I'll act brave am learning as you can see. about politics