Evening star., 1947-01-05

Mississippi, gave up the fight fol-
his Senate seat for the time be.
ing late yesterday, to undergo ar
immediate operation for cancer
The Senate agreed to leave hi!
credentials on the presiding officer!
desk until later in the session, ane
quickly completed the organization
of the 80th Congress, which hae
been delayed for 20 hours by the
battle of Southern Democrats tt
have the Mississippian sworn ir
pending settlement of the charges
against him.
Coming with dramatic sudden.
ness, these developments ended the
threat Of continuous weekend
session, and enabled the Senate tc
agree to joint session of Congress
to hear President Truman's annual
message at l pm. tomorrow.
Senate officials said the law al
lows Senator Bilbo to remain on the
payroll until his right to a seat
finally is passed Oh, but he is not
entitled to speak or vote in the
Senate.
Earkley Wins Delay in Action.
With a tensely dramatic state
ment that "a mans life is more i'm
portant than seat in the United
States Senate or any other body
Minority Leader Barkley won per-
mission to delay action on Senator
Bilbo until doctors certify he can
return to Washington.
Senator Bilbo told a reporter i'm
mediately after the Senate acted he
is not giving UP his fight for seat.
IF I live, I'll be back here with
my fighting clothes on" he declared
"I shall go Immediately to the
Touro Inflrmary at New Orleans
and place myself again under the
care of DR.. Alton Oschner, one
of the greatest surgeons in the
country" he said,
Case Shelved Temporarily.
Senator Barkley told the Senate
it probably would be two months
before Senator Bilbo is able to re-
turn. Other reliable Capitol sources
predicted it would be longer.
Under the unanimous consent
agreement entered into by both sides,
Senator Bilbo's certificate of elec-
ton will lie on the presiding officers
desk without prejudice and with
out action until such time as the
official physician assigned to the
Congress CDR. George Calver) GER
titles that he is able to return here,
or until such time as the Senate
itself may take action"
This puts the Bilbo case on the
shelf for several months at least,
but leaves the Senate free to reopen
it and make fina! decision, either
TO seat or exclude him.
No Further Proceedings.
If the stormy Mississippian had
been sworn III, as a group Of his
Southern colleagues contended he
should, the charges that he encour-
aged discrimination against Ne
groes in last years election, and that
he accepted gifts and campaign
contributions from war contractors
would have been referredN to the
Senate Rules Committee for further
review.
AS long as his credentials remain
sidetracked on the presiding officers
desk, Senators agreed there woulo
be no further proceedings before the
Rules Committee.
AS soon as the deadlock ovel
Senator Bilbo's status was broken
35 other newly elected Senator!
were sworn in, and Senator Vanden'
berg, Republican, of Michigan wa!
elected unanimously as President o
the Senate. These 35 other mem
bers also had been kept waiting a
the door since noon Friday, while
less than score of Democrat!
fought to have the oath admins
tered to Senator Bilbo.
In completing its delayed organ
ization, the Senate also quickly tool
these steps:
Approved the Republican choice