Evening star., 1961-11-23
Conservatives Seen
Key to Leadership

/ House in 1916, has an advan-
tage both in seniority and in
his service as House majority
whip since 1855. In that posi-
ton he was the principal aide
to Democratic Leader McCor-
mack, the prospective next
\ Speaker. During the final weeks
of the 1861 congressional ses-
sion he was acting majority
leader while Mr.. Mccormack
was acting Speaker.
Representative Smith of Vir-
giana, Rules Committee chair
man and generally regarded as
leader of the Southern Demo-
cratic conservatives in the
House, is known to have told
friends that he will actively
support Mr.. Albert.
Mr.. Boiling and Mr.. Albert
are not yet certain they will be
the only candidates for ma
! jority leader. Mr.. Rains of Ala
bama has said he was consid-
ering the advisability of COM
peting with Mr.. Mccormack
for the SpeakerShip. He as well
as another Alabama Democrat,
Representative Elliott, also are
known to have been urged by
friends to seek the floor lead
erShip.
/ Such a move would tend to
split the Southern Democratic
vote that might otherwise go
to Mr.. Albert. Associates Of
Mr.. Albert say they doubt he
will be opposed by Mr.. Rains
or Mr.. Elliott. if only because
they would not want to con-
tribute to the possible election
of Mr.. Boiling.
: How They Differ
! In personal appearance Mr..
Albert and Mr.. Boiling differ
greatly. The Oklahoman stands
!. five feet four inches tall and
weighs about $50 pounds. The
Missourian is six feet one inch
tall and weighs more than 200
pounds.
The diminutive Oklahoman
is regarded as one of the best
orators in the House-at the
University of Oklahoma he won
the national oratorical contest
and a $500 prize.
Mr.. Boiling. a "conversa-
tional" speaker, has shown
considerable talent for persua-
sion and Cancellation behind
the scenes in the House. Mr.,
Albert is a lawyer; Mr.. Boiling
formerly was a teacher.
In contrast to Mr.. McCor-
mack as a hard-hitting debater
and skillful legislative man
ager, both Mr.. Boiling and Mr.,
Albert are essentially studious
and somewhat reserved in
manner.
! A native of McAlester, a
15,O 5,O00-populstion city in east
ern Oklahoma where he still
lives. Mr.. Albert is one of five
children whose father was a
coal miner and farmer. After
public high school in McAlester
he obtained his B.A. degree in
political science at the Univer-
sity of Oklahoma in 1881 where
he headed the student council
He won a Rhodes scholarship
and received two degrees in
Jurisprudence and political sci
ence at oxford.
| World War II interrupted his
private law practice and service
as an attorney with the Federal
Housing Administration in
Oklahoma City. Enlisting as an
Army Air Force private he saw
service in the Pacific and came
out as a lieutenant colonel. He
! has remained in the Army re-
serve and now is colonel,
Until his election to Congress
he practiced law in McAlester
In the House as member OF
the Agriculture and Post Office
and Civil Service Committees he
quickly identified himself as a
Truman Democrat" On sew
eral occasions he nevertheless
voted contrary to Truman ad-
ministration wishes. He sup
ported successful moves tc
override vetoes of the Taft
Hartley Act and the Subversive
Activities Control Act.
He became especially promi-