Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-07-14
OLD HAND IN HOUSE
Vinson Nears the Record
BY EDMOND LIE BRETON
Associated Press Staff Writer


A jaunty, crusty, 79-year-old
Democrat from Georgia, with
bright blue eyes and a nose for
error, is about to add an inn
posing official title to his
many nicknameS.
Representative Carl Wilson'S
new distinction: all-time dean
of the House Of Representa-
tives. On Tuesday, according
to Library Of Congress records,
Mr.. Vinson win have been a
member longer than anyone
else in history.
On that date he will pass
the record established by his
dear friend and ally, the late
Speaker Sam Rayburn, whose
death in 1861 ended AZ years,
8 months continuous service,
Mr.. Vinson was sworn in as
a member of Congress on
November 3, 1914.
No other House member
comes close, although Senator
Carl Hayden, Democrat Of Ari-
iona, still occupies o special
sanctum in the seniority-wor-
Shipping Congress. Senator Hay
den has 81 years of service, but
it is divided between House
and Senate.
Legends Numerous
Admiral" Vinson, otherwise
"the Georgia Swamp Fox"
"the backstage boss Of the PEN
tagon," or more generally ''Un-
Gle Carl" has lived long enough
to chuckle over the legends in
which he figures.
Every newcomer to Capitol
Hill is told the story of the
tapped chandelier = taped into
silence after a desperate fresh
man committee member, re-
peatedly ignored by the chair
man, Mr.. Vinson, tried to force
attention by jingling the crys-
tai prisms with a cane.
The flag-draped, old-fash-
toned Armed Services Commit
tee room, spittoon-equipped-
the chairman chews-is Mr..
Wilson'S castle on The Hill. He
has headed that powerful COM
mittee, and its predecessor
Naval Affairs Committee, since
1881, except for two 2-year pc
RODS when Republicans con-
trolled the House.
He's the Boss
In this room Mr.. Vinson plays
to the hilt the role of seniority
buttressed chairman, supremely
assured against any challenge
from the executive branch or
his own colleagues. A ribbon
decorated officer is put in his
place with a stare over the
ever-sliding Vinson glasses, and,
what did you say your name
was. admiral?"
A hapless member-witness
who remarks ingratiatingly that
others have said well what he
had in mind to say hears the
gavel bang In mid-sentence:
THANK you for being so con-
siderate. Next witness" NJ
Mr.. Wilson'S other role, as
one of the little group of strong
men who run the scrambling,
435-member House, is not to be
viewed so casually.
Helpful to Kennedy ss
But it's a good bet President
Kennedy knows all about it.
Since Mr.. Kennedy took office
with a hairbreath majority of
popular votes and an uncom-
f~rtably close division in the
House, he has had Mr.. Wilson's
help in one key vote after
another.
Over and over, at least until
the recent month when civil
rights issues came to the fore,
Mr.. Vinson has helped deliver
solid support from Georgia and
assistance from nearby on the
kind of proposals that often
send conservative Southern
Democrats into a coalition with
Republicans.
Mr.. Vinson waves away
discussion of his part in this
accomplishment.
They're voting like they
should vote. They're Demo-
CARTS" he said, and as for the
coalition-"We busted that up"