Evening star., 1946-04-02
Taft Sta|ks0ut
After kurray's
Election Threat
Hearing Clash Storts
Over Ohioun's Attack
On Health Insurance
By the Associofed Pres.

senator Ialt, republican, or
Ohio stalked angrily from a
Senate Labor Committee hearing
today after Chairman Murray
threatened to have him elected.
The row broke out and quickly
reached the shouting stage as the
committee began consideration of
legislation to set up national COM
pu,sory health insurance plan.
Senator Taft broke into a state
ment by Chairman Murray to as
sert that the bill was "the most
socialistic one Congress ever had
before it."
In the exchange, Senator Murray
told Senator Taft:
Il want you to subside, to shut
up or I'll have the officers called
and put you out of this committee
room"
Most Socialistic, Taft Says.
Senator Murray opened the hear
ing by commencing the Washing
ton Post for an editorial in which
he said attention was called to some
claims that such health bills were
"Socialistic."
I'll tell you this measure is the
most sociallstic one Congress ever
had before it," Senator Taft in
terrupted
Senator Taft then insisted on
making a statement. He managed
to shout, above the loud protests
Of Chairman Murray, that he him.
self would introduce health bill.
| Senator Murray, standing almost
shoulder to shoulder with Senator
Taft, snapped that he didn't In
tend to be "bluffed" by "grandstand
plays"
You have so much gall" cried
the Montana Senator, that you
would not let me, the chairman
of this committee, conclude my
statement"
Then he made his threat to have
Senator Taft put out of the COM
mittee room.
| Propaganda Claim Denied.
Mr.. Chairman" Senator Taft re-
torted, your attitude is not very
hopeful. You've shown your inten-
tlons to sponsor this purely propa-
ganda measure -
| Senator Murray: "It is not pro-
paganda, Everything that is done
to do something for the American
people gets people like you coming
in and saying it's communistic.
+ Senator Taft: "I didn't say it was
communistic; I said socialistic.'
Senator Murray: you said some-
thing about the full employment
bill being communistic.
Senator Taft: so I did. In its
original form that was taken right
out of the Soviet constitution.
Senator Taft kept on trying to
get his statements" into the record
as Senator Murray, his face scarlet,
shouted continuously at him.
Demands to Make Statement.
After he and Senator Murray had
ended their sentences at one point
i'll the e'same breath and left a dead
silence for a second or so, Senator
Taft exclaimed:
i i am a member of this commit
tee. demand to be permitted to
make statement because 1 must
: attend another committee meeting"
! Chairman Murray again said no.
Il insist on my rights" the Ohioan
said, "or I'll take the whole matter
up on the (Senate) floor"
You can take it up any where you
want replied Senator Murray, you
can't bluff me-"
/ Senator Smith, Republican, of
New Jersey interrupted to say he
felt Senator Taft should be allowed
to make his statement, but the
chairman was adamant.
Senator Taft then walked to ths
door of the committee room and
shouted back at Senator Murray:
Senator, I'm through with you.
and with your committees"
He walked out and the door banged
behind him.
Wagner Makes Statement.
Senator Wagner, Democrat, of New
York, who with Senator Murray is a
sponsor of the bill, then was asked
(See HEALTH BILL, Page ALL