Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-09-05
Watkins, Who Kept Mccarthy Quiet,
Us MiId-Monnered Man With a Temper
Utoh Republican Has
Played important
Role in Senute
By james Y. Newton

BY james 7. Newton
When the usually soft-man-
nered, decorous Senator Arthur
Vivian Watkins, his face as
white with anger as his care
fully combed hair. gaveled Sen
ator Joe Mccarthy into silence
the other day, every one was
amazed except those who know
the Utah Republican well.
For example. Mrs. Lorna Wat
kins, widow of the Senator's son
Don, who lives with him and
works in his office, wasn't the
least bit surprised.
1.-THE Senator" says the young
and pretty Mrs. Watkins. sis
very calm and collected unless
he is pushed too far. It doesn't
happen often. but when he blows
up he has a violent temper"
The most amazed person at
the reaction of Chairman Wat
kins of the select Senate COM
mittee considering censure
charges against Senator Nc
Carthy was, apparently, the "de-
PENDANT" himself.
Senator Mccarthy discovered
quickly that the well-known
"Mr. Chairman, Mr.. Chair
man" Interruptions he used so
successfully in the Army-Mc-
Carthy hearing wouldn't work
with Senator Watkins.
Dents Made In Table.
The supposedly mild and re-
served "Mr. Chairman" simply
pounded his gavel until huge
dents were made in the huge
Senate Caucus Room table and
shouted with the finality Of
doom:
1.-THE Senator is out Of order!"
It was one of the few times
the redoubtable junior Senator
from Wisconsin had been spoken
to in that way. It was the first
time in memory he had been
silenced. So effective was the
Watkins lesson that Senator Nc
Carthy uttered scarcely a word
during the following two days
Of hearing. He has been careful
to reserve his BLASTS" for places
other than the hearing room. but
where microphones and televi-
sion cameras are stationed.
Arthur Vivian Watkins, in the
eight years he has served in the
Senate, has been quietly active
and effective. His name has been
attached to considerable legisla-
ton in those eight years. He
has played important roles in de-
bate on various measures, par
ticularly ones involving foreign
policy, in which he has great in
terest, and such largely Western
matters as reclamation, agricul-
ture. mining and Indian affairs
But he WIS not well known,
even by those who follow Senate
business rather closely, when
he was named, in early August,
as chairman of the committee
of i six reluctant Senators vino
were to "try" Senator Mccarthy
on charges that his conduct and
activities tended to bring the
Senate into disrepute and should
therefore be condemned. The
cenSure hearing has put the
gifted Senator in the national
spotlight for the first time in his
life.
Was Judge in Utah.
Senator Watkins has the jul
dicial calm and physical charac-
teristics of a judge. which he
was back in Utah a number OF
years ago. His mien is icy. His
hazel eyes are cool and pene-
trating. His frequent smile Is
thin. In fact he gives the all
around impression of thinness
although his 167 pounds are
well distributed over a 5-foot
10 12-inch frame.
The senior Senator from Utah
is a devout Mormon. Before
coming to Washington, he was
for a number of years, president
of the Sharon Stake (diocese)
Latter Day Saints Church, which
included seven churches. a posi-
ton he held without pay. He is
still active in the Mormon
church near his Arlington home
Senator Watkins was born at
a wide place in the road
called Midway, Utah, in 1887
the son of a farmer-carpenter
His mon grandparents
trekked the 1900 miles from Il
linois in 1849. pushing their pos
sessions before them in small
carts. These caravans" were
known as "pushcart companies.
After attending grade and high
schools at Midway, young Wat
kins attended Brigham Younl
University in Provo, Utah, fol
two years where he was a mem
Der of the basketball team. Their
he journeyed to New York anc
worked as a Mormon missionary
for two years. Later, he attended
Columbia University and OBJ.
tanned q law degree in 1912
While in New york. he me-
the daughter of the mission pres
ident. and they were married
later N Utah.
Defeated In House Race.
Returning to his home State
Senator Watkins entered Law
practice in Salt Lake City anC
! ,.4l;ftne IIi,