Evening star., 1947-07-05

sent up to Con- Lowell Meilett.
gress it was known by the Demo-
cratic leaders that even with
Messrs. Thomas and Wagner pres
ent four more Senate votes would
be needed to sustain the veto. But
it was believed, or at least hoped,
that under the right circumstances
they could be obtained. Fetching
Senator Thomas by plane from Ge-
neva, Switzerland, and Senator
Wagner by stretcher from his sick
bed in New York might provide the
right circumstances.
The votes in question, incidentally,
were those of O'Conor of Maryland
and Maybank of South Carolina,
Democrats; Aiken of Vermont and
Tobey of New Hampshire, Republic
cans. One other Democrat also fig
ured in the Democratic hopes.
On Overseas Telephone.
The hour for the vote had been
set for pm. Monday. Friday night
Minority Leader Barkley and Ma
jor Domo Leslie Bif11e got Mr.. Thom-
as on the overseas telephone. He
was reluctant to leave the meeting
of the international Labor Organi-
zation unless he could be assured
that his vote would change the re-
suit. Messrs. Barkley and Bif1e
were unable to give that assurance.
The conversation was inconclusive.
Saturday morning Gael Sullivan,
acting chairman of the Democratic
National Committee, telephoned Mr..
Thomas. The result was about the
same. How's it look? Mr.. Thomas
asked. Looks rough, Mr.. Sullivan
replied; but dramatic incident
such as Thomas. flying home-might
change the situation. Would his
vote be enough? Mr.. Thomas per-
sisted. It might help them get
enough, said Mr.. Sullivan. No de-
cision.
Saturday afternoon Mr.. Sullivan
talked with the President. The
President said he would pay for the
plane trip out Of his own pocket.
No, said Mr.. Sullivan, the National
Committee should pay for it. That
was agreed and General Webster of
the A.TC. was asked to arrange for
the planes on a pay basis. At 4 pm.
he reported that a big plane was
ready at the Paris airport and a
smaller plane at Frankfurt to bring
Senator Thomas from Geneva to
Paris.
Saturday night, Messrs. Barkley
and Biffle talked with Senator
Thomas again. He still doubted the
wisdom of the proposed expedition
and said he had decided against 1t.
| Later, at 1870 pm. Mr.. Sullivan
and Jack Redding, publicity direc-
tor of the National Committee
talked to Senator Thomas. They
talked urgently and long-$65 worth,
in fact. Mr.. Thomas agreed to make
the trip. Mr.. Redding advised the
AT.C. that everything was all set
and he and Mr.. Sullivan went to
bed.
They were up bright and early
Sunday, making plans to dramatize
the Thomas flight, but they decided
to withhold any announcement un-
til the Senator was actually IN the
air. That proved to be wise.
At Work In New York.
Meantime there was Senator Wag-
ner. The latter's son, Robert, Jr.,
was to call them at am. to report
whether the Senator could make it.
No call. They reached Mayor
ODwyer and got him to work on the
New York end.
At 10 am. they called A.T.C. con-
cerning the Thomas plane and were
told that the Frankfurt Office had
reported that Senator Thomas had
Cancelled the trip; that he had said
he was getting too many telephone
calls, but would come if the Presi-
dent called him directly. This mes
sage had come through at 3 am.
and, it developed, had caused Leslie
Biffle to make still another call,
with the same unhappy result. He
could not wake the President at
that hour Mr.. Bifile told Mr.. Thom-
as. But AT.C. was holding the