Evening star., 1961-03-20
Carroll Reece, II, Dies;
In 18th Term in House
BY the Associated Press

BY tne Associated PreSs
Representative B. Carroll
Reece of Tennessee, IL, former
Republican national chairman
who was long allied with the
most conservative forces of his
party, died yesterday in the Be-
thesda Navy Medical Center.
He had entered the hospital
in January. Death was attrib-
uted to lung cancer.
Mr.. Reece was in and out of
the hospital several times after
minor surgery, and even went
to the Capitol to vote against
the enlargement of the House
Rules Committee, of which he
was a member.
His death left the House line
up at 172 Republicans and 260
Democrats, with five vacan-
cies.
Mr.. Reece was the second
Oldest member of the House in
time of service. Only Speaker
Rayburn Of Texas had served
longer than Tennessee's first
district Congressman.
At his death, Mr.. Reece was
serving his 18th term in the
House. He suffered only one
defeat, in 1880, and after that
was not even opposed by
Democratic candidates in his
staunchly Republican district,
one of two G. o. P. districts
in the State.
Chairman Three Years
Mr.. Reece served as national
chairman from 1916 to 1949,
resigning his House seat to do
so. Under his direction the
G. o. P. captured control of
Congress in 1916. This was
the Congress President Truman
assailed as a "do-nothing Con-
gresS" in his successful 1948
presidential campaign.
In 1854. Mr.. Reece headed
a House committee inYestigat-
ing tax-exempt foundations
and issued a controversial 4l6-
page report which charged the
social science research with
foundation support "slantS
heavily to the left" Among
other things. the Reece report
charged the Kinsey reports on
sex were socially dangerous" i"
The report was widely criti-
cized on the ground that wit
neSSeS hostile to the founda-
tionS were heard but when the
time came for the foundations
to answer. their spokesmen
were cut off.
The report concluded that
many of the tax-free founda-
tions fed "subversive purposes. ii
He was born at Butler, Tenn,
one Of 13 children.
Served as Principal
/ He was graduated from Car
son and Newman College IN
Tennessee in 1914 and became
a high school principal. After
a year he. went to New York
University, where he received
a masters degree in economics
and finance in 1916.
Mr.. Reece entered World War
I as an Army private, and ad-
vanced to lieutenant. He was
decorated for heroism under
fire with the Distinguished
Service Cross, the Distinguished
Service Medal and the French
Croix de Guerre.
He was elected to the House
in 1920 at the age of 81.
Mr.. Reece became associated
with the pre-World War II iSo-
lationist wing of the party. He
voted against the draft in 1910
and against the Lend Lease
Act of 1941.
Throughout the New. Deal
years of Franklin D. Roosevelt,
Mr., Reece voted consistently
with the opposition.
His election as national
chairman in 1946 was con-
tested, and his victory was re-
garded as a gain for the late
Senator Robert A. Taft and his
supporters.
Former Vice President Rich
ard M. Nixon said at Los An
geleS he felt a personal loss be-
cause Mr.. Reece was one of
my most loyal friends and
supporters"
Praised by Eisenhower
Former President Dwight D.
Eisenhower, vacationing at
Palm Springs, Calf, called Mr..
Reece "a veteran in legislative