St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-11-22

aIb arc DElUB b"OIIs a AC5L NOIG
probably will be taken on the ques-
ton Of administering the oath to
him.
A coalition Of Republican and
Democratic Senators from north
ern and western states are expect
ed TO vote to deny him the oath.
Republicans made "Bilboism" an
issue in the recent Congressional
elections. Some northern and west
ern Democratic Senators already
have denounced him for his in
suits TO minority groups. They will
risk party harmony by voting to
deny him the oath and to unseat
him.
II he is denied the oath, the
question Of his right to a seat
would then be referred to the
Senate Committee on Rules and
Administration. The Senator who
makes the challenge will be called
upon 10 present the case against
Bilbo before the committee.
Reports also would be asked
from the present Senate Campaign
Investigating Committee and the
special Senate War Investigating
Committee, both Of which have
been inquiring into complaints
against Bilbo ranging from charges
that he intimidated colored voters
thereby keeping them from voting
in the Mississippi Democratic pri-
mary Of July 2 to charges that he
received "slush fund" of $25, 900
from war contractors.
Taft Evasive
Senator Robert A. Taft, Republi-
can, Of Ohio, chairman Of the Re-
publican Senate Steering Commit
tee, told a news conference after a
meeting of the committee last
that the question Of seat
ing Bilbo had been discussed. He
declined to go into details Of the
Senator Taft and Senator Eu-
gene d. Millikin, Republican, Of
Colorado, had been designated to
investigate procedures to be fol-
lowed in any challenge that may
be made TO BilbO's taking the oath
of office.
The Republican Steering Com
said Senator Taft, definitely
committed itself to go through
with the challenge, but wants to
find out what method should be
followed.
Bilbo will be second in the line
of newly elected or reelected Sen
ators appearing to take the
oath on January 3. The roll is
allied alphabetically. The first will
be Senator-elect Raymond E. Bald
win, Republican, Of Connecticut.
The strategy of trying to ex-
clude B'lbo rather than seat him
and then try to expel him appar-
emily was based on the belief that
his conduct has been such as not
to warrant his being seated in the
first place.
Majority Vote May Decide
II the request that Bilbo step
aside is resisted by southern Demo
ratio Senators, the issue will be
decided by a simple majority vote,
If the test comes when he appears
20 take the oath of office, only
twenty-nine Republicans, including
Senator-elect Baldwin, and thirty
two Democratic holdovers will be
eligible to vote, despite the fact
that Republicans will hold fifty-one
Of the ninety-six seats in the
Eightieth Congress. The other
newly elected or reelected Senators
will not have been sworn in.
II he should be seated and a
resolution Of expulsion later voted
upon, a two-thirds vote would be
required for adoption.
Another source said that the
Republican members of the Senate
Campaign Investigating Commit
tee-Senators Styles Bridges of
New Hampshire and Bourke B.
Hickenlooper Of Iowa-had been
requested to study procedures nee
essary for challenging Bilbo's seat
ing.
After Senate Republicans ad-
iourned policy talks last Friday,
Senator Taft announced that the
question of seating Bilbo had been
assigned TO n study group consist
ing Of Senators Bridges and Hick-
with Senator Millikin act
ing as adviser on procedural mat
ters.
While these two developments
were being disclosed. il also was
revealed that a fight was brewing
within the Senate Campaign In
vestigating Committee itself.
Charges "Gloss Over" Attempt
Senator Bridges charged that
Senator Allen J. Ellender, Demo-
crat, Of Louisiana, committee chair
man, was trying to gloss over"
charges filed with the Senate Cam
paign Investigating Committee
against Bilbo.
The Senate Campaign Investigat-
ing Committee met last Saturday
to receive reports from four in
vestigators sent into Mississippi to
check on charges that Bilbo car
ried on a vicious campaign de-
signed to keep colored voters from
their ballots and as a result
of the suppression Of the colored
vote in the Mississippi Democratic
primary of July 2 achieved his
nomination which is equivalent to
election in Mississippi, and that a
war contractor gave Bilbo $25 900
in Jackson, Mississippi, hotel Sep
TENDER 7, 1912.
The War Investigating Commit
tee also is inquiring into charges
that Bilbo obtained large construc-
ton contracts for Mississippi con-
struction firms in connection with
Key Field at Meridian and Keesler
Field at Biloxi, Mississippi, in re-
turn for which he received fees
aggregating $4,000 and the con.
tractors built him an artificial lake,
with an island in the middle, and d
nice home on the island.
A democratic source close To the
Senate War Investigating Commit.
tee said last Friday that sine,
Republican Senators ARE hell-bent'
on Investigating Bilbo, "why no
give II TO them nowl"
He predicted the committee woult
vote for public hearings on IN,
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