Evening star., 1954-11-10
hcCahhy-Waikins.
WraIlgIe Throws
Senate Into Uproar


OF the Gillette committee.
Says Witness Wasn't Called.
In any event, Senator Wat
kins said, the witness described
as insane was never called.
I'VE went into your attitude
toward the (Gillette) committee.
showing your attitude toward
the committee and the serious
ness of the. charges" the Utah
Senator said.
Senator Mccarthy said that in
the Watkins hearing he attempt
ed to show that the Gillette COM
rmittee knew that the witness
was insane and that was one
reason he had been critical Of
that committee. Y
do you say that regardless of
how grossly incompetent that
committee might have been I
should be censured for criticizing
that committee?" Senator Nc
Carthy askec.
We were not trying the charges
before the Gillette committee, /"
Senator Watkins shouted back.
"We were trying charges with
respect to your conduct toward
that committee" # a
Watkins Cites Vote.
"Tell us now whether it is
your position" Senator McCar-
thy demanded of his colleague,
"that I should be censured for
criticizing the Gillette commit
tee regardless of how incom-
petent the committee might
been? If that's your position
1t is a new rule that should be
considered very seriously here. !"
Senator Watkins replied that
If the Wisconsin Republican had
believed the Gillette group to be
incompetent he should have
complained to the Senate at
that time He pointed out that
the committee was upheld by a
unanimous vote Of the Senate
and that Senator Mccarthy was
present when the vote was taken.
At that point Senator Nc
Carthy attempted to interrupt
Senator Watkins and the latter
said heatedly:
II yield to you for the pur-
pose of asking questions and
not for correcting my answers.
Says He Damned" Quiz.
Senator Watkins added that
Senator Mccarthy showed con-
tempt by damning the (Gillette)
committee from the very first
day" it was in operation and
despite your oath of Office to
uphold the Constitution and the
dignity of the Senate. You
should have been helping them
but instead you attacked them
from the very first day."
Some of the sharpeSts ex-
changes between Senator Wat
kins and Senator Mccarthy oc-
CURED when the Wisconsin Re-
publican questioned whether
some of the members Of the
Censure Committee, including
Senator Watkins, should have,
been disqualified because of pos
sible prejudice.
Senator Mccarthy asked Ii
it was correct that Senator Wat
kins went on the air and said
1t was not essential for the COM
mittee members acting as sort
Of jurors to be unprecedented.
We've all been here for years
and have some knowledge of
your activities" Senator Watkins
retorted, and added that "it
would be a rare person" who had
not formed some opinion. The
only time one could get a COM
pletely neutral person to serve
on a jury, the Utah Republican
added. "he would be deaf, dumb
and blind and a moron to boot"
Reads From Articles.
Senator Mccarthy asked if
Senator Watkins thought COM
mittee member who had said he
could be disqualified because of
letters he had written deploring
Senator McCarthy's method of
questioning witnesses should
have been permitted to sit on the
special committee.
Senator Mccarthy read some
excerpts from stories in North
Carolina newspaper articles but
Senator Watkins said he did not
understand the Senator's ques-
tion
Its a simple question:" Sen
ator Mccarthy replied, will you
listen carefully Senator" Then,
without mentioning the commit
tee member by name Senator
Mccarthy read from a news
paper article quoting the COM
mittee member as saying, among
other things, he had formed an
unfavorable impression of Sena-
tor Mccarthy" and had written
letters deploring his activities.
Interrupts Reading.
Senator Watkins interrupted
the reading of the quotations to
say:
II have the floor. Is he ask
ing a question or making a
speech?"
Senator Mccarthy continued
reading an article quoting the
committee member as saying
that if he had been on the Sen
ate floor instead of at a dinner
when Senator Mccarthy spoke
on the censure resolution before
the Senate recess it would have
required all his judicial temper
ament not to vote for censure
then and there.
Senator Erwin. Democrat. of
North Carolina interrupted the
Mccarthy Watkins exchange to
say he was the Senator referred
to. He demanded that Senator
Mccarthy read the full state