The Key West citizen., 1954-10-18
Utah Politicos
ToDecide On
Striingfellow
BY JOHN v. HURST

~ SSEIN We HONSV
SALT LAKE CITY R-Trouhlod
Utah Republican party leaders
meet in Salt Lake City tonight 10
consider the political fate of a man
they had thought-only 48 hours
before--to be shoo-in for the LET
District congressional seat he now
holds.
The meeting was hurriedlv
scheduled over the weekend after
Rep. Douglas r. Stringfellow (R.
Utah) Saturday night disclosed he
was not, as he had claimed in
many quarters including the Con.
gressional Record, the hero of a
secret, behind-the-lines mission in
to World War II Germany to can
ture scientist.
With tears running down his
cheeks, the 32-year-old disabled
veteran had appeared on a hastily
arranged television program to saw
that his story of wartime cloak.
and dagger heroism = recounted
sover decade when I had made
over 200 speeches in a single year,
Twas false.
Stringfellow offered to withdraw
from the congressional race but
left the decision up to Utah's 128-
member Republican State Commit
tee.
State COP Chairman o. J. Viii.
kinson said that county and other
COP leaders had been instructed
to come to the committee meeting
with a sample of opinion in their
home districts.
He said reaction to StringfelIow's
disclosure at state party headquar-
ters was tremendous" and that
q s'large volume" of the telephone
calls and kilograms indicated the
callers would still vote for the con-
gresham.
Stringfellow made his electrify-
ing disclosure on the heels Of
story published in the veterans edi-
tion Of the Army Times, an unof-
ficial Washington ewspaper,
which questioned the authenticity
Of his tale Of wartime espionage.
"Like many other persons sud-
denly thrust into the limelight /
rather thrived on the adulation and
new-found popularity" he said
sadly, reading to the television
camera from a prepared state
inent.
II fell into the trap which in
part had been laid by my own
glib tongue"
The congressman explained that
he had invented his tale of hero
ism to help "carry my philosophy
of the goodness Of life to all those
who might listen"
Stringfellow, married and the
father of two small boys, wears
braces on his legs as the after
math of a mine explosion in
France during the last war.
Only last week, top state Dem
ocratic official had privately ad-
mitted that he thought Stringfel-
lows opponent, Walter K. Grang.
er, had little chance Of beating
the congressman.
And yesterday, there were many
who were still inclined to believe
- privately - that Stringfellow
could win anyway if left on the
COP ticket. A number of Repub-
lican leaders indicated they felt
this to be the case, but said they
were still doubtful as to which way
they would decide on the question
o. allowing him to run.
Sen. Wallace F. Bennett (R.
Utah) said he thought Stringfellow
"stil is a disabled veteran who
has established a more or less
normal life through a display of
great courage and hard work
! have not lost my faith in him."
Sen. Arthur v. Watkins. the
Utah Republican who headed the
Mccarthy censure committee and
who was with Stringfellow when
he made his public statement SAT.
urday, said, "It takes a big man
to do this
Democrats were silent yesterday
and efforts to locate opponent
Granger were fruitless. The only
comment came Saturday from
Democratic State Chairman Milton
L. Weilenmann, who expressed
sympathy for Stringfellow but add.
ed, 81 don't think that the man
should repent by asking to be elect.
ed to Congress-"
Stringfellow's story had brought
him national renown and had
placed him much in demand as
an inspiration speaker.