Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-29


1t is not on those two coul
to loom large at the proceedin
watch is his proven skill in the {
inducing differing Democrats to
vote alike on a wide variety Of
matters.
AS majority leader Of the
Senate, he has played a crucial
role in formulating the legisla-
tive record on which the Demo.
cratic candidate must run. It /,
a dificult job. requiring some
thing Of the talents Of the d.
rector Of an opera company
with 40 sopranos.
Senators are notorious prima
donnas. Getting them on stage,
in good voice and in tune with
one another, demands not only
q broad knowledge Of human
nature, but specific information
on the pride and prejudices Of
every member Of the company
Does His Homework
No one has ever accused the
restless gentleman from Texas,
who must be one of the coun-
try's liveliest heart patients, of
not doing his homework in that
regard.
And the record, he thinks. is
something to brag about. He
likes to tell people that the Sec
ond session Of the S4th Congress
has accomplished more business
with less wrangling than any
other Senate in the Nations
history.
Certainly the volume is i'm
pressive. Nearly 5000 bills were
passed. Their content, says
Senator johnson. meets the test
Of the l3-point program with a
heart" he laid down in q Texas
speech last winter.
He has no patience at all with
more militant members Of his
party who complain that under
his control. the worlds greatest
deliberative body no longer de-
liberates. but merely votes on
matters that have been smoothly
processed in committee and
cloakroom.
I'VE can't have a bunch of
foolishness on the Senate floor u
is . johnson dictum, which
leaves diSgruntled those who like
to think out loud in that forum.
They mutter that they have not
been able to develop campaign
issues, to keep alive partisan diff
ferenceSo in a two-party Nation.
Senator Johnson's retort is
that with his slim majority of
two Republicans could not be
alienated. Besides. while he
seems to enjoy riding herd on
people, he hates to brand them.
FavOrite Device
His favorite device for running
the Senate's business is unani-
nous consent.
After the prayer, you have to
get unanimous consent for every
thing" he says. If some niousy
little fellow has his feelings hurt,
or p having a nobody -loves-rne
day. he can hold up the works. 4"
Senator Johnson is constitu-
tionaIy opposed to holding Up
the works. In a peak week among
other vital measures, he Steered
through the confirmation of ST.
mon Sobeloff as judge and the
Customs Simplification Act.
The nomination of Judge Sob
eloif had been hanging FIRE for
almost one year. the Customs
Simplification for six. Senator
Johnston Of South Carolina had
indicated he would have almost
unlimited things to say against
Mr. Sobeloff; Senator Malone,
Republican of Nevada. made it
known he would need six days
to unburden his mind about
trade. Yet somehow when the
time came. Senator Johnston
found two hours sufficient, and
Senator Malone satisfied him
self with three. Mat Capitol
Hill hands thought they saw
Senator Johnson's fine Italian
hand in the abrideement.
Quotes Isaiah
When quizzed about his tao
tics, Senator johnson simply
quotes Isaiah. Come let us rea-
son together" he says. He gave
some rare public insight into
this reasoning" process on the
Senate floor during the civil
rights furry which threatened
tnNthe last days to sour the
close harmony that had been
emitting from the Upper Cham
Der.
It was also a little practical
demonstration Of how a similar
outbreak might be handled in
the convention.
The civil rights rebels were
short on numbers and even more
so on strategy. The bill was
already engrossed and signed by
the time the dissidentS knew il
had passed the House. A South
erner was placed in the chair
to see that it was whiSked Il
committee without objection
Senator Douglas, Democrat oil
Illinois. who is a strong civil
rights man. was heard to refer
dryly to the "supersonic speed
with which matters had moved
On the floor Senator johnson
concentrated his reasoning
powers on the two candidate.