Evening star., 1952-07-28
Dies;
Senator Noted
In Atomic Field
Lung Cancer Is Fatal
To Senator at 48;
Surgery UnuvuiIing

Senator Mcmahon, Democrat.
of Connecticut, died today of cam
Ger.
His family was at his bedside at
Georgetown University Hospital
when the end came at 11:10 am.
Senator Mcmahon was 48 years
old. He built a splendid reputa-
ton during his six years in the
Justice Department, and twice
was elected Senator.
He was sponsor of vital legiSla-
ton on atomic power and headed
Congress Joint Committee on
Atomic Energy.
Senator Mcmahon underwent a
spinal operation a month ago, but
the fact that he suffered cancer
was not announced until today.
After death came, his private
physician, DR.. Philip Caulf1eld, re-
ported that "the cause of death
was a cancer of the lung which
had spread to the Senator's back
and pelvis."
Family at Bedside.
His family long had been alert
ed for the end. At the Senator's
bedside were his wife; his mother
Mrs. William Mcmahon, and other
close relatives.
They rushed to Georgetown
Hospital at $50 am. after the
Senator lapsed into a coma.
Despite the fatal nature of the
illness, the Connecticut delega-,
ton to the Democratic Nationah
Convention proposed Senator Nc
Mahon as possible presidential
nominee and voted for him on the
first ballot. The delegation. how
ever, knew at the time that Sen
ator Mcmahon was dying.
Term Ran to 1857.
His term in the Senate was
scheduled to run until 1857. Gov.
John Lodge of Connecticut, q
Republican, can appoint a sue
cessor, but the appointment would
last only until the November
elections.
Republicans and Democrats
are expected to hold special State
conventions in Connecticut to
select candidates for the unexpired
term.
Senator Mcmahon was q menu
ber of the Senate Foreign Rela-
tions and Commerce Committees.
as we'll as chairman of the Joint
Committee on Atomic Energy.
The senior Democratic Senator on
the Atomic Energy Committee is
Senator Russell of Georgia.
Vote Was Tribute.
His State delegations vote on
the first convention ballot was a
tribute, in a national forum, to a
man who was propelled into world I
prominence by the Hiroshima
atomic bomb blast in 1945. AS q
freshman Senator then, he quick
ly took the lead in attempts to
control this new and terrifying
force produced by man..
He remained in the lead and,
as recently as last June. advo-
Gated that the United States
wage peace" by manufacturing
at least 1000 of the more de-
structive hydrogen bombs. This
was the first apparent indication
that the H-bomb had been per-
fected.
Put in Civilian Control.
The more Senator Mcmahon
learned about the potentialities
Of nuclear energy. the more
frightened he became at the pos
sibilities. He crusaded to take
control from the military and
place it in the hands of civilians.
That was accomplished by the
Mcmahon Atomic Energy Act.
When the Senate Atomic Energy
Committee was created, he was
appointed its chairman. Later a
Joint Atomic Committee was set
up by the Republican controlled
Congress of 1947-48 and Mcmahon
was named a Democratic member.
He became chairman when the
Democrats regained control Of
Congress in 1949. That position
went to him in spite of the tradi-
ton of seniority because Of his
wide knowledge.
The Senate House committee
supervised the work of the Atom
ic Energy Commission, which
controlled everything in the atom
ic field. Chairman Mcmahon was
the highest lay authority on the
subject.
Made Long Study.
When the bomb was dropped on
Japan in the closing days of World
War II, Senator Mcmahon was as
surprised as almost every one else.
Although he was in the Senate, he
had been there for only a few
months and the secret of the
atomic research had not been
trusted to him.
But after the blast occurred, he
decided to gather all possible in
formation. He even took courses
at the Bureau of Standards in
order to understand unfamiliar
(See MCMAHON, Page A-10.)