Evening star., 1961-01-05

being a conservative Southern
Democrat" showed slight out
ward worry that he might be
replaced by a liberal Democrat
on the most powerful of all
House committees.
He would not be drawn into
the vortex Of rumors as to how
or whether this will or can be
done. But he seemed to hint
that 1t might be a bit pre-
mature to write his political
obituary.
He Has a Curiosity
He mildly wondered why any
colleague would want to upset
so rudely a veteran who first
went on the Rules Committee
% years ago and whose %
years as a House member are
surpassed by only q dozen
other present members. These
include Speaker Rayburn and
Rules Committee Chairman
Smith, Democrat Of Virginia.
His self written biography in
the Congressional Directory
runs fewer than six lines. When
asked for more details about
his life and works, this cur
rently most-talked-of House
member proved to be practic-
ally speechless. He attributed
this to modesty rather than
any fear that the truth would
have hurtful consequences for
him in the struggle to "liber-
alize" the Rules Committee.
He wryly wanted to know
whether the requested informa-
tion was "for my obituary"
Then, as II to discount any
assumptions that he is certain
to be severed from the COM
mittee. he promptly poinsed
with pride to something he be-
lieves the Democratic leader
ship and his fellow House Dem
ocrats might bear in mind.
-" Cites Achievements
Like Thomas jefferson who
did not include mention of the
Presidency in his epitaph, Mr..
Colmer confined the record
merely to a couple Of achieve
ments.
One was his chairmanShip
OF a House Special Committee
on Postwar Economic Policy
and Planning from 1943 to
ll947. This ribbon legis-
ative group, Of which former
Health. Education and Welfare
Secretary Marion Folsom was
staff director, recommended
programs that eventually led to
legislation on war contract ne
gotiation. foreign aid methods
and other major matters.
The other is a placard hang
ing on his Office wall. It is an
award citation by the American
Good Government Society. He
likes to recall that former
President Hoover and Senator
Rassell. Democrat, of Georgia,
were among other recipients of
that national recognition and
commentator.
With the pixie quality that
adds so often to the gaiety if
not alacrity of Rules Committee
sessions, Mr.. Colmer seemed
loath to recount his other ex-
ploits. He called on his secre-
,tary. Waller Batson, to dig UP
a few more facts to enlighten
any segment of the public or
any faction in Congress that
might be concerned about him
at this moment Of crisis.
Opposed Kennedy Ticket
Political philosophy and leg
islative views Of the exceed
lingly conservative Mr.. Colmer
have been too often recounted
to require repetition or re-
search. OF especially timely in
terest and a major factor in
the reported plan that includes
the possibility Of dumping him
from the Rules Committee, is
the fact that he opposed the
Kennnedy-Johnson ticket.
He insists he supported other
Democrats for President and
Vice President and thus can
not be denounced as a renegade
who supported a Republican
slate. He has no regrets, even
in the face Of the November 8
returns that showed his own
city as we'll as county going for
the Kennedy-Johnson electors. |
Removal from the Rules
Committee would not be an en-
tirely new experience for him.
When Republicans controlled
the House in 1947-48 he had |
been fifth ranking Democrat |
and was bumped" when the
Democratic representation was
cut to four.
But the situation from The
standpoint Of prestige, power |
and personal preference is
much different today. Since his
return to the committee in 1949
Mr.. Colmer has worked his way
up. to the No. 2 seat. next to
Chairman Smith, and in a po-
sition to preside temporarily.
Whatever move the DEM
ocratic leadership and others
eventually make to weaken the
Committees conservative in
f1uence and the strength of a
Republican Southern DEM
ocratic coalition, they know
they can count on a battle |
from Mr.. Colmer. For all his |
outward mildness and courtesy,
he has demonstrated down the
years that he Is adopt at in
fighting, needing and some
vindictivenesS.
Congress Was His Goal
He came UP the hard way.