Evening star., 1951-01-03
By Cecil HoIIond

BY Cecil Hollond
Thirty-odd years ago. Ernest w
Mcfarland, the new Senate ma
jority leader. taught grade schoo
for a year in a rural communit.
in Seminole County, Oklahoma.
Fresh out of the East Centra
State Teachers College, younl
Mcfarland accepted the assign.
ment before learning some dis,
quieting news about the rura
school. 1t seems that older pupil.
had run off, three or four teach.
ers who preceded him.
Since he needed the money tt
continue his own education at The
University of Oklahoma, he re-
ported to the school despite mis-
givings as to what was in store fol
him.
II guess 7 was kind of scared
Senator Mcfarland confesses.
But the pupils took one look al
the strapping new teacher and, in
Senator McFarland's words, de-
cided he was 'big enough to whip
a fellow.
Il never had any trouble at ALL
Senator Mcfarland recalls
Those boys turned out to be the
incest group I have ever met"
Senator May Hold Key.
The genial, 56-year-old Arizona
Democrat might well hope for a
similar outcome as he begins his
important duty as leader of a
paper-thin Democratic majority
49 to At, in the Senate. But there
can be no assurance he won't have
trouble, with politics being what
they are.
The outcome depends largely on
Senator Mcfarland himself. After
10 years in the Senate he is still
relatively unknown in the larger
spheres of national affairs. He
has been a fairly consistent but by
no means an unwavering admins
trat]ou supporter. He has voted
With the administration on most
Of the major foreign policy issues.
but has departed from the leader
ship on some domestic issues,
on such matters as civil
lights legislation.
For the most part, Senator Nc
Farlapu has confined himself to
being persistent and effective
advocate of matters affecting his
State and region, and to quiet and
unspectacular work as member of
the Senate Foreign and Interstate
and Interior committees.
Is Infrequent DICTATOR.
He has been an infrequent par
ticipant in Senate debates aside
from matters that interested his
region. AS a speaker in the Sen
ate forum he has given observers
the impression of a plodding
hard working legislator with no
particular oratorical gift. Only
when arguing for something like
the Central Arizona irrigation
project has his speaking shown
unusual fervor, if not eloquency.
On the record, therefore. there
has been little to judge Senator
McFarland's capacities as leader
OF the sharply-divided and often
partisan Senate. But his friends
speak highly of his effectiveness in
committee work and his ability to
work out compromises.
In the role of majority leader
the gift of being able to concili-
ate and compromise often is more
effective than an eloquent word.
Senator Mcfarland, a bulky in
dividual standing feet II inches,
and weighing around 200 pounds,
with ruddy face and shock of
iron-gray hair, has no illusions
about the problems confronting
him.
Seeks Unified Foreign Outlook.
In his opinion, the biggest
problem confronting the country
is "the international situation
that now overshadows all our do
mestic problems. AS he sees it, a
major contribution he could make
at this time would be to bring
about "a more unified effort to-
ward solving those problems"
Il certainly feel that both par
ties are composed of loyal and
patriotic Americans, Senator Nc
Farland said. "On international
matters we should be able to .ay
politics aside and work together
Partisan politics should be around
domestic and not international
issues"
That leaves, of course, such
domestic issues as the Presidents s
civil rights program. In that re-
spect, Senator Mcfarland prob
lem will be different from the one
confronted by Senator Lucas OF
Illinois, the majority leader of
the 81st Congress who was de-
feated for reelection.
Senator Lucas had to contend
with Southern members unalter-
ably opposed to the civil rights
program. Senator Mcfarland, on
the other hand, voted with the
Southerners against cloture, there
by preventing the civil rights is