Evening star., 1951-04-25
Moody, Sworn In, Lunches WnhNew Colleagues


shaping up. the administration to-
day received a forceful and artic-
ulate supporter as Blair Moody
was sworn in as United States
Senator from Michigan.
Senator Moody, former Wash
ington correspondent of the De-
troit News, took his seat on the
Democratic side of the aisle. He
was named last Saturday as the
successor of the late Senator VAN
denberg, Republican, and one of
the principal architects of the BIZ
partisan foreign policy.
The new Senator was sworn
into Office shortly after the SEN
ate convened at noon. Senator
Ferguson, Republican, now the
senior Senator from Michigan, at
1917 pm. sent Senator Moody's
credentials of appointment to the
desk and then escorted Mr.. Moody
to the desk where Vice President
Barkley administered the oath of
office.
Many of Senator Moody's news
paper friends filed the press gal
lery and his family and many
other friends were watching the
ceremony from other parts of the
gallery.
No Applause Rule Broken.
At the conclusion of the oath,
Senator Moody's ewSpaper
friends led the way into breaking
a Senate rule by applauding
heartily for the new member.
Other visitors in the gallery as
we'll as, Senators on the floor
joined in the applause.
Vice President Barkley indul-
gently permitted the applause to
continue for some, little time be-
fore he raped for order. Mr..
Barkley said he could appreciate
the enthusiasm of the press gal
lery." But he added with a
tongue in the cheek statement
that it was nevertheless a viola
ton of Senate rules, but he could
see mo purpose in locking the
stable door after the horse was
stolen"
Mrs. Moody and members of
the Senator's family occupied a
front-row seat in the Senate's
gallery. The new Senator has
three sons.
Biffie Host at Luncheon.
Senator Moody was the guest
at a luncheon given by Leslie
Biffle, the Secretary of the Sen
ate. Other guests included Mr..
Barkley, Attorney General Nc
Grath and these Senators:
Mcfarland of Arizona. O'Ma-I
honey of Wyoming, Humphrey of
Minnesota. Mcmahon of Con-
necticut, Sparkman of Alabama,
Douglas of Illinois, Lehman of
New York, Monroney of Okla
homa, and Kerr of Oklahoma, all
Democrats, and Ferguson, Duff of
Pennsylvania, Knowiand of Cali
fornia. Lodge and Saltonstall of
Massachusetts,. and Morse of
Oregon, all Republicans.
Senator Moody, a longtime
friend and admirer of Senator
Vandenberg. made it clear in an
interview here before he was
sworn in, that he would strive
to continue the Vandenberg prin-
ciples in foreign affairs.
He also indicated that the vote
less District Of Columbia had &C
quired q staunch supporter in it's
unending quest for a better deal"I
from the Federal Government and
the Congress.
He said emphatically that he
favored national representation
for the District.
Favors Home Rule for District.
I've lived here too long not toI
have seen at first hand how many
Americans have been made Sec
ond-class citizens by an archaic
law that should be changed as
soon as possible" he said.
With equal emphasis, he said, he
was for home rule but would have
to study the pending proposals
before reaching any conclusion.
Senator Moody expressed his
views on the broad issues of
foreign policy and the narrower
field of District affairs in his first
interview here since receiving the
appointment. He returned to
Washington last night from Lam
sing, Mich. to take the seat to
which he was appointed by Gov.
G. Mennen Williams, that States
Democratic chief executive.
AS newspaperman and
Washington correspondent for
years, the 49-year-old Senator took
his seat as something of political
unknown, so much so that no one
was quite sure what his political
views were.
A Liberal Democrat.
Senator Moody described himself
as "a liberal Democrat" But he
made it clear that he had the
newspaperman's aversion to set
labels that often are attached to
members of Congress and those
active in the political field, such as
New Dealer" and Fair Dealer"
He avoided any discussion of lis
views on domestic issues until lie
has had more time to famiilarize
himself with such matters from tue
viewpoint of a legislator rather
than a newSpaperman. But in the
field of foreign relations, in which
Mr.. Moody as correspondent had
established himself as an author
ity, he was quick to emphasize his
belief in the Vandenberg school of
thought that politics should end
"at the waters edge"
Il believe that had it not been
for the bipartisan foreign policy
IN which the initiative came from
President Roosevelt and President
Truman, and the bipartisan COL
liberation that was led by the
greatest man Michigan ever sent