Evening star., 1960-09-14
Senator Hennings Dies;
Civil Rights Advocate

Senator Thomas c. Hennings,
ljr., Democrat of Missouri,
champion of civil rights and
authority on the Constitution,
died yesterday of cancer at his
home at the Towers, 1901 Ca
thedral avenue NV. He was 81.
Death came only a few hours
after Senator Hennings came
home from George Washington
University Hospital. He had
undergone an abdominal OPP
Grafton at Mayo Clinic last
May but his condition grew
progressively worse and he was
unable to attend the Demo-
cratic National Convention or
the August session of Congress.
Praise poured in today for
the Senator from the Border
State who was an outspoken
advocate of strong civil rights
legislation. Senator Hennings
also stood for substantial for
eign aid with emphasis on eco
nomic rather than military aid
for friendly countries.
Praised by Kennedy
Senator Kennedy, Demo-
cratic presidential candidate,
called Senator Hennings' death
a great loss to his party and
country.
Senator Kennedy declared: I:
Gas an outstanding champion
and defender of the rights Of
all Americans. Tom Hennings
has contributed immeaSurably
toward the progress we have
made in recent years in carry
ing forward the basic Ameri-
can belief in equality for all
our citizens"
Senator Symington, Senator
Hennings' Missouri colleague,
called him "a great Senator
and q great humanitarian who
was generally recognized as the
outstanding constitutional au-
thority Of his time"
AFL-CIO President George
Meany telegraphed Mrs. Hen
nings: please accept my sim
cereSt sympathy on the death
of your husband. Senator Hem
nings was a staunch and VAL
liant liberal who fought untir-
ingly for the achievement Of
full civil rights for all. He was
a true public servant and a
great American. Our Nation
will Sorely miss him"
Gov. Blair of Missouri, a
Democrat, said he would ask
the State Attorney General for
an opinion before calling a
special election November 8
to fill the unexpired two years
Eof Senator HenningS' term.
Gov. Blair said he wanted
to make sure about the pro-
cedure in calling a special
election since there are some
legal questions involved.
Under one law, the Cover
nor has the right to appoint a
successor when a senatorial
Vacancy occurs but Gov. Blair
said he had not decided
whether he would do that. ac-
cording to the Associated Press.
Since Congress is not in Ses-
sion, he said there is no urgency
about filling the vacancy.
Former President Harry S.
Truman was mentioned by
some Democrats as a logical
nominee for the job, but MIR.
Truman apparently took him
self out of the race when he
said in New York he had no
ambition to return to the
Senate.
Other Democrats whose
names have been mentioned
include two Congressmen-
Representative Richard Boiling
of Kansas City, who keynoted
the Democrats State platform
convention yesterday, and Rep
resentative Charles H. Brown
of Springfield. campaign man
ager for Senator Symington's
unsuccessful attempt to gain
the presidential nomination.
Investigated Delinquency
One of Senator Hennings'
final tasks was to conduct an
investigation of juvenile de-
linquency and to recommend
methods to combat its spread.
He was chairman of the Sen
ate Rules Committee and Of
judiciary subcommittee on
constitutional rights. juvenile
delinquency and Federal PEN
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