The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1961-02-10
STORM CLOUDS STARTED
GATHERING MONDAY

ia IlENllNo NHOlVDAI
On Monday when rumors first
started that Sen. Cashmere was going
to ask for the floor on point OF
personal privilege and "blast" Um-
Der, the situation became more and
more tense. Rumors flourished and
senators looked grim. They dashed
here and there in little groups, in and
out from behind closed doors. 4.
Tuesday morning, however, Sena-
tor Richard Nixon (D-Blaine), ma
jority leader, moved the Senate have
a "Joint caucus in an upstairs meet
ing room. A ''joint caucus, as weird
a development as the rest of the
whole affair, was an unheard of pro-
cedure and no one could define it's
place in the Legislative processes.
Attaching rumor to fact the
press put out stories that came
from assumptions and '1eaks".
Normal procedure would have been
for the Senate to clear the galleries
and go into executive session, but the
Senate chambers being what they
are and the necessity for members
to speak loudly to be heard and many
doors at which to listen, made it OBJ
vious they felt fewer people would
know what went on if they left the
observers in the galleries and re-
moved themselves.
There is a grave question as to
''joint caucus" has any
legislative validity.
The Senate was out an hour and
twenty minutes during which time
three senators came out and took
TIMBER to their hide-away.
When they returned, stoney faced
and silent, all questions were met
with ''no comment" and the situa-
Jon further deteriorated.
Rumors of fresh activity or new
strategy could be found every Is
minutes about what was going to
happen next. The trek to and from
he gallery was continual. You could
ell when each rumor had been spread
round the lobby.
By Wednesday every segment of
the legislature, and especially the
members of the lobby were 'af-.
fcted by the tenseness of the at,
mosphere. ara
Even the green stamp lobbyists
tayed away from the Senate. s
Conferences were held for hours
n end.
The hysteria spread to the House
nd a member there decided he had
cen threatened on labor bill.
SECONDS"
'ETOED TRUCE
By noon Wednesday a possible
reak seemed in sight. 1t was said
r. Cashmere was sick and tired of I
lie whole thing and he would well
,me the end of it all. A joint state
ent signed by him and TIMBER was
the making. There is no doubt the {
lint statement was prepared. Cash 1
ore and TIMBER had shaken hands.
he only thing left was for the +
enator's seconds" TO OK the set Q
5v a
At this point the desire of anti
abor forces to make a political I
Weapon of the incident revealed
tself. Rejection of the joint state Z
nent was made known when Sena-
or Hibbs'rose on the floor of the
senate and made the accusation o
f the threat.
During the strained hours from !,
onday till Wednesday TIMBER kept =
18th with the direction of the eau
S for no comments on the matter, Il
en- in the face of damaging press !
d radio reports and whispers in :
3 lobby. 4 n y
Until Hibbs made his public state q
mt on the floor TIMBER remained !;
emit. eF -
SENSED +;
,SSIBLE "ROMAN HOLIDAY" 10
By Wednesday afternoon Republi-
rs were able to determine the Dem In
attic majority had within their ID
ks Senators who would relish see
labor's blood spilled By allowing III