Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-15
|Mundt Rops a MuffIed Goyel
And Tries to See the Bright Side
Getting to Know
You Is His Theme
On Stuff Members
BY Mary McGrory

One of the most intriguing
audible manifestations of APP
prevail" at the Army Nice arthy
hearings was heard from the
man who forbids such things as
a matter of routine. That Is.
Of course, the man in the mid
die, Karl E. Mundt. who for six
weeks has occupied the anxious
seat of the acting chairman of
the Permanent Investigating
Subcommittee.
Cheerfully blinking at witness
Frank Carr, a man he voted to
excuse as a principal in the
case, Senator Mundt said, II
might say one of the good things
about these hearings is We are
getting better acquainted with
our staff members"
The Democrats, Of course.
were shamelessly using the OPP
portunity. not to further the
good fellowship Mr.. Mundt so
tirelessly seeks, but to find out
what on earth goes on in the
subcommittee staff.
Senator Mundt Of course, is
not surprised. This happens all
the time. If he ever adopts a
coat of arms, it should be the
point of order rampant over the
gavel. Having used the gavel
with velvet glove and no iron
hand inside, and knowing order
is out OF the question, he con-
tents himself with playing the
honey philosopher Of the hear
ing room.
His Philosophy.
His philosophy might be
summed up in the words Of
another PARLIAMENTARY more
hard-preSsed than he, a Gov.
Hook of Kansas, who said:
There is so much good in the
worst Of us
And so much bad in the best
of us
That it hardly behooveS any Of
us
To talk about the rest of U.S."
Senator Mundt has been con-
Quoting the search for the truth
with Senator Mccarthy hot on
his heels. yelling 1T went that
away" indicating a different
direction almost daily
Senator Mccarthy interrupts
the chairman constantly. The
only time Senator Mundt has
interrupted the Wisconsin Sen
ator was during the latter's til
rade against q member of Mr..
Welch'S law firm. Sens tor
Mundt interviewed twice to set
the record straight.
Once a schoolteacher, Senator
Mundt plainly still wishes those
big boys in the back of the room
would stop throwing Spitballs,
giving each other the hot foot.
and running up and down the
aiSleS shouting "Fire!"
Exuding the chipping optim-
ism Of an Edgar Guest poem, he
tries to set them an example of
forbearance and good humor. It
has not been notably contagious,
at least on his left, where sit
Senators Symington and McCar-
thy. One day when these two
were virtually at each others
Threats, Senator Mundt repri-
manded Senator Symington, who
has recommended that the Sem
ator from Wisconsin see a psy-
chiatrist. He told Senator Sy-
mington severely that he must
address the chair. His original
avowed purpose ito reveal that
which is true and expose that
which is false" is now given over
to maintaining parliamentary
nicetieS.
Clipper as a robin, every
morning. smoking his pipe
which gives way to cigar and
cigarettes before the day is over
he comes in with his briefcase
and his hopes. When he can't
find anything nice to say about
anybody else in the hearing
room, he praises the Capitol po-
lice, who are coping with other
audible manifestations of ap-
prevail or disapproval."
Would Play Down Squalls.
Senator Mundt, who faces re-
election this year, has frankly
called the hearings "this miser-
able business" Before the vote
was taken on shortening the
hearings, he told Army Counsel
or WEIGH he had "tears in his
eyes," He voted against the
Streamlining, having offered his
proxy to Secretary Stevens.
When not so bound he has
voted with his fellow Repubn-
cans.
He has spoken longingly of
the Oppenheimer case, con-
Quoted so quietly. He has tried
to minimize the legiSlative-ex-
ecutive squalls that blow up
over such matters as the FBI
letter" and the famed January
IA loyalty board subpoena meet
ing. He once explained to Mr..
WEIGH that the occasional con-
hict that springs up between
the two branches is like a game.
Lately he has been looking over
the rainbow to the time when
the hearings are ended and a