Evening star., 1952-03-23
Dark and StoIkihq-
Those Are the Two Kinds of Horses Bob Kerr
Is Playing in the 1852 Political HiPPodrome
james and Anne cottrelI Free

give convincing evidence that he
would put public interest first. He
must create liberal frame Of refer
ence for himself on a. national scale.
This is a task of formidable proper.
tionS.
The fact is, however, that exarn-
nation Of Kerr's Senate record re.
veals him as moderate liberal. He
favors 100 per cent Of parity farm
support prices, rent and, price con-
trolls, Federal aid for school construc-
tion in defense areas, public power
development where private power
lags on the job. flood control and
river basin planning and the admin
iStration's military and economic
foreign aid programs.
Civil Rights and Lobor
His Southern exposure on civil
rights may be offset by reinsurance
of Negro leaders in Oklahoma. g. L.
Harrison, president of Langston UNI
versity, says that Kerr while Gov
ernor constantly encouraged and
assisted Negro youth In taking an
active part in the affairs Of govern
ment, thus encouraging them to feel
they were first-class citizens" And
spokesmen for the American Fedora
ton of Labor, the Congress OF In
dustrial Organizations and other
large unions concede that Kerrs
record on labor issues on the whole
Is good.
Kerr voted fright" on 13 measures
out Of IA selected by the AFL. ne
voted right" according to the C1O
News. on seven measures out OF 10
on the unions list. On the other
hand. according to the Council OF
State Chambers Of Commerce, ne
voted wrong on Is out OF l8
spending" measures.
Beyond a doubt. Kerr's No.
handicap is that never-to-be forgot
ten gas bill. Oddly enough, the fore
runner Of this bill was considered
"non-controversial". when it was
first introduced In the 80th Congress
by Representative Priest. Democrat,
of Tennessee, now majority whip OF
the House.
IT put the bill in at the request OF
the Federal Power Commission, said
Priest. "and 1t had the backing Of
the White House. Kerr's bill was
substantially the same as mine--to
exempt independent, intraState pro-
ducers of gas from Federal regula-
ton. This type Of regulation was
never contemplated by FPC,. but the
question had been raised by United
States Supreme Court decision. The
administration and the producers
wanted the matter Of possible intra-
state regulation cleared up"
The measure is too complex to
discuss in detail here. but the ad-
ministration simply changed its mind
on the gas bill. Two members Of
the four-man power commission, who
had approved the original Priest bill.
reversed their positions. President
Truman vetoed the legislation when
it came to him for signature. To
cap the confusion, FPC eventually re-
versed itself again establishing Is
its policy the very principle on which
it had turned its back In Senator
kerr'S bill.
As concerns the gas bill. Kerr Is In
somewhat the same position he was
In as candidate for Governor dec
ade ago. "I hadn't been in the race
very long" he said, "until the oil
men found out was New Dealer.
and 1t hurt ne--hurt me bad. Then
the New Dealers found out that
was an oil man, and that damned
near beat me-"
Kerr's fair for humorous summa-
tion In debate. and his grab-bag of
anecdotes. has helped him out of
many tight spot. When hecklers
try to make political hay over his
personal fortune. he replies: you
should have seen me under Herbert
Hoover and the Republicans. I was
In debt and making only $125 q
month. am happy to be an ex-
ample Of the prosperity and oppor.
tlnity that the Democratic Party
has made possible for American citi.
zens." W