Evening star., 1947-08-22

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his critics promptly. On, the Senate
floor he was even longer winded, ex-
ploding filibuster at the drop of an
adjective. He explained his talent
this way:
Its my ancestors. Half French,
where I get my loquacity, and my
gestures. The other, half Irish,
where get my audacity. With that
combination, a man can talk for
ever"
Fell Silent in January.
But there came a day last January
when The Man Bilbo," as he char
acterized himself, fell silent. That
was the dramatic convention of the
Eightieth Congress, when the in
coming Republican dominated Sem
ate was determined that Mr.. Bilbo
would not occupy the seat he had
held since 1884.
For 20 hours, the Senate remained
unorganized. The Republicans, aid
ed by Senator Taylor, Democrat, of
Idaho, insisted Mr.. Bilbo be denied
his seat. Southern Democrats rail-
lied around the Mississippian, de-
manding he be seated while the
charges leveled by the Senate COM
mittees were being settled.
While the. cloakrooms buzzed and
"a unsworn Senators nervously
awaited a break, Mr.. Bilbo busted
himself around his Office. still dap
per in the neat suite and bright tie.
in which he often wore diamond
horseshoe stickpin.
Late that day the announcement
came that Mr.. Bilbo was giving up
the fight-temporarily-to make a
fight for his life. Minority Leader
Barkley said Mr.. Bilbo was going
immedia tely to New Orleans for his
second operation. Meanwhile, a
compromise would permit the Sem
ator's certificate of election to re-
main on the presiding officers desk
until Mr.. Bilbo returned.
"I'lI Be Back Here"
"If I live, I'll be back here with
my fighting clothes on" was Mr.
Bilbo'S parting shot.
Mr.. Bilbo's rising disfavor with
large numbers of voters outside Mis-
sissippi strangely paralleled his as
cendancy to the District Senate
Committee chairmanShip in Febru-
AIRY, 1914.
One month later he went back
home to tell the State Legislature
he was the mayor of Washington.
He also exclaimed that he was ready
to filibuster Is months against the
anti-poll tax bill, brought up his
pet idea of establishing an African
colony for American Negroes, and
criticized the Government for al
lowing white and colored persons
to work side by side.
Washington organizations, from
the Federation of Churches to the
Communist Party, deluged the sena-
tor with protests.
His answer was to read speech
into the, Congressional Record and
to print 100000 pamphlets for dis
tribution in Mississippi.
Blast at Communists.
He reserved a special outburst for
the Communist Party of Washing
ton. Filibustering on the antipoll
tax bill, he blamed the Communists
for its inception ana read into the
Congressional Record a letter he
had sent leading Communist,
ending thus:
Let me say TO you and to every
member of your incongruous gang:
Go straight and jump into the
abyss of perdition and may l add
further that you bespatter your
muddled, twisted. SWiVeled, intln-
itesimal suggestion OF brains on the
brimStoneS in the bottomleSS pits
OF perpetual hell and that your
scared. diseased and Uniformed
carcasSeS fry and sizzle for trillions
of years beyond doomsday in the
eternal fires of the doomed"
On becoming chairman Of the
District Committee, Senator Bilbo
announced it was moving day for
criminals and added that he was
out to make Washington "the model
city of the world"
Alley Dwelling Move.
One of his first moves was to
demand enforcement of the Alley
Dwelling Act passed 10 years before
and requiring about $4,000 alley
dwellers. mostly Negroes, to move.
Mr.. Bilbo said this was 'humani
tartan move and. insisting he was
lone Of the best friends the Negro
has got suggested they move back
to the farm.
In May. 1914. he set everybody
right on his District suffrage stand.
He said he would fight it by every
honorable means" but would give
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