Evening star., 1960-05-01
BY CECIL HOLLAND
star star Writer

tW1lllam n. C0nnOle yeSter-
day was still awaiting official
White House notification that
he would not be reappointed to
the Federal Power Commission
and. less hopefully. for some
reasons why.
Mr.. Connole, 37-year-old
Connecticut independent who
has been a commission member
since 1855, received indirect
notice last week that his FPC
career was ending. It came
when President Eisenhower
told his news conference: "I
think I can find better man"
Mr.. Connole had been told at
the White House that the Pres
ident was looking for someone
else, but the Presidents state
ment Wednesday me as
something Of a shock.
81 understood the Presidents
intentions would be made pub
lie. in q manner other than
an offhand remark at q press
conference" Mr.. Connole said
in an interview yesterday. But
I'm not arguing or quarreling
with the President on that
point. It's his privilege"
No Reason Given
At no time. he said. has he
been given any reasons by the
White House why the Presi-
dent would not reappoint him
to the commission, a regulatory
agency with Jurisdiction over
interstate electricity and nat
ural gas matters.
Sitting in his Office at FPC
headquarters. Mr.. Connole dis
cussed for publication for the
first time the events leading up
to the Presidents remarks.
He did so with some reluc-
tance. he said, because of his
feeling that conferences with
the White House were Of
confidential sort. II considered
I was under an obligation not
to talk about it." he COM
mente6, land I thought it was
reciprocal"
Mr.. Connole said that for
personal reasons, among others,
he brought to the White
Houses attention last January
"as matter of courtesy" the
question of his term expiring
June %. He conferred with
David Kendall, one of the
Presidents assistants, and at
the time indicated he was will
ing to accept reappointment.
Informed Of Decision
The next development was in
February. Then Mr.. Kendall
summoned the commissioner to
the White House and informed
him the President was looking
for some one else.
II did not ask the reasons
why" Mr.. Connole said. ''I was
not told the reasons"
Mr.. Connole decline to ex-
press his own views on why he
win not be reappointed. "It
would be pure speculation" he
remarked. ut might be argu-
mentative."
However, he did question
some Of the reasons that have
appeared in the newspapers
and magazines. One news mag
azine quoted an unnamed
White House source as saying
the President had decided
against his reappointment be-
cause "he does not get along
with" other members Of the
commission.
Mr.. Connole, who has often
been the lone dissenter from
the commissions rulings, en-
tered q dissent to this an.
praisal.
worked In Harmony"
eff I don't get along with
the other commissioners, that's
news to me. We have gotten
along well, professionally as
well as socially. We have
worked in close harmony"
The staff has told him, Mr..
Connole said, that the present
commission has worked better
together than any commission
they can recall.
Mr.. Connole, a graduate of
Georgetown University who was
formerly chief legal officer of
the Connecticut Public Utilities
Commission, has received the
backing Of consumer groups, a
committee Of mayors, most of