Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-08
Symington May Shape Up
As Missouri Compromise

regime. Last year, according to
the Congressional Quarterly, he
supported Mr. Eisenhower's legis-
lative program II per cent of the
time. In the same year he voted
with his party on party-line mat
tiers 88 per cent and on bipartisan
matters SO per cent. He also es-
tabliShed himself as being on hand
for nearly all roll call votes.
Segregation Views
On the key issue confronting the
Democrats. that of segregation,
Senator Symington has had little
to say. When pressed for his views
on this matter, he stands on
March 4 statement which said:
with respect to segregation,
the Supreme Court is charged
with the responsibility of inter-
preting the Constitution and the
Supreme Court has declared the
principle Of law. l realize people
in the South and many areas of
the North, too. have a very diff
ficult problem Of adjustment, but
l have confidence they are going
to manage 1t, and manage il well
in the true American tradition"
Some have called this straddling.
Whatever it is. it represents Sena-
tor Symington's cautious approach
to controversial issues of an emo
tional nature. This approach may
help. rather than hurt, his chances
at the Democratic convention in
Chicago.
On such other issues as conserva-
ton, labor, Federal aid for schools
and economic policy the Missouri
Senator has taken the middle-of-
the-road approach of the astute
businessman, which he was before
entering Government service.
With family roots in Maryland
and Virginia land lately discov-
cred one in louisiana, Senator
Symlngton was born in Amherst.
Mass, went to school in Baltimore,
and was graduated from Yale in
1923.
Rich Little Poor Boy
His father was a college profess
sor and. according to the Senator's
campaign biography, the family was
so poor that STU" as his friends
call him, had to live for a time with
his mothers relatives in Virginia.
In time the family fortunes i'm
proved and Stu himself served as an
executive in various radio factories
and steel works. He moved to Mis-
souri, in 1888 to take over the Emer-
son Electric Manufacturing Co, and
his success in that enterprise added
substantially to his growing wealth.
A restless, energetic individual.
Senator Symington came to Wash
ington In l946 as chairman of the
Surplus Property Board. In l947
he became the country's first Sec
rotary Of the Air Force. then chair
man OF the National Security Re-
sources Board and Cleanup" ad-
ministrator Of the Reconstruction
Finance Corp.
His first splurge in politics came
in 1852 when he ran successfully
for the Democratic nomination for
the Senate in Missouri. He won the
primary hight over J. E. Buck
Taylor. who had President Thu
mans backing. and then showed
under Senator James p. KEN. the
Republican incumbent. by $50 900
votes, while Mr.. Eisenhower was
carrying Missouri by $4,000 votes.
Vote Getting Talent
This has stamped Senator SYM
ington as something OF a vote
getter in his own right, a fact not
overlooked by the party kingpins.
Since the Minnesota primary, the
Senator has been deluged with tele-
phone calls and letters urging him
to seek actively the presidential
nomination Three sent cash con-
trlbutions for campaign. These
the Senator declined with thanks
as he has declined a flood of invi-
tations to speak.
A political asset to the Senator
is his attractive wife. Eve, who was
professional singer for a time.
His two sons are lawyers, one in
New York, the other in st. Louis.
The Senator, content to be a
dark horse, is intent right now on
an investigation he is heading into
the airplane and missile race be-
tween the United States and Rus
STA. Symington hackers are count
ing on that to make the Senator's
name more widely - and more ia
vorably - known throughout the
country than 1t was during the
McCarthy-Army hearings. In those
hearings the Missourian tangled
with the Wisconsin Republican and
was bloodied. Senator Mccarthy
hung on him the title "Sanctimon-
lous Stu"
Senator Symington is not likely
to become an active candidate for
the nomination. He Is taking TO
heart the advice OF an old uncle
who looked with disfavor on two
Democratic candidates and said a
third still has his hat on "a very
good place for II now"