Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08
Courageous
'TokeNote
PROFMEs IN COURAGE. By

1ROE LIES IN OOOhAGBs ~
Senator John r. Kennedy.
(Harper q Bros; $500
It might seem that Senator
Kennedy had slightly over
stated the dilemma Of the Of
1lce-holder when he writes.
I'm no other occupation but
politics Ia 1t expected that q
man will sacrifice honors.
prestige and his chosen career
on q single ISSUE" One thinks
Of generals, and yes. even re-
porters for whom an unpopu-
lar decision may bring as
harsh and public q repudia-
ton as that visited on . man
saying inopportunely AYE" or
mo" on the Senate floor.
Yet upon reading his roll
call Of eight brave senator's,
the justice Of his claim as to
consequences, If not exclu-
siveness. is established. For in
several of the cases he cites,
the conscience driven court
ship of political disaster was
successful. II looked down in
to my open grave" said Sena-
tor Ross of Kansas when he
stood up to vote on the i'm
parchment Of Andrew john
son, and he did not exaggerate.
Oblivion was often the reward
of virtue. not to mention
vituperation SO singing as to
make Senator McCarthy's
swipes at his colleagues seem
as gentle by comparison as his
partisans claimed In the CEN
sure debate.
Restoring Confidence
Senator Kennedy does not
believe that there has been q
decline In the kind Of raw
heroism exhibited BY these
eight senatorial heroes and
others cited. He Ii convinced
that the decline-"if there has
been o decline-has been less
In the Senate than In the pub
Lie appreciation Of the art Of
politics" Possibly his book will
restore some Of that apprecia-
ton, for he has set forth elo-
quently the pressures Of party.
constituency and public opin-
ion which weigh on the Sem
ator.
He has applied the most
stringent requirements in
awarding what might be called
the Congressional Medal Of
Honor to these great men Of
past and present. In every
case, the dissenter had every
thing to lose and nothing TO
gain by standing alone. In
every case, an indammatory
issue was at stake. In every
case, to vote differently would
have meant the welcome muir
muir Of . pleased constituency,
Of another political step for
word Of concurTing public
and party opinion. In the case
of Senator Taft on the con-
stitutionahty Of the war crimes
trials the occasion was sought.
In addition. there was, espe-
cially with Daniel Webster,
Thomas Hart Benton. Sam
Houston and Edmund G. Ross
the further temptation of APP
pearing consistent with previ-
ously expressed convictions.
Yet these with John Quincy
Adams. George Norris. Robert
A. Taft and several others.
chose to say what Daniel Web
ster called. after his fateful
vote on the compromise of
1850. true rather than pleas
ing things"
A Courageous Vote
The most stirring chapter
and they all wildly bring q
man through his public career
to that crucial solitary moment
relates to the most unworth-
fly obscure, Senator Ross Of
Kansas. His critical vote In
favor OF Andrew johnson at
the Impeachment proceedings
can be fairly described as pre-
serving constitutional govern
ment.
Senator Kennedy, q World
War II hero. wrote his book
during q long convalescence.
He win have performed q great
public service II he can con-
vince the incoming Congress
that discretion Is not always
the better part Of valor. His
stirring recital Of past polit-
ical deeds performed at great
personal sacrifice should help