Senator from Arkansas

Some of the bitterest passages of the Senate's investigation of lobbying occurred between the chairman of the investigating committee, Thaddeus H. Caraway of Arkansas, and the head of the manufacturers' tariff lobby, Pennsylvania's Joseph ("Old Joe") Grundy, now a Senator himself by retaliatory appointment of Governor Fisher. In reply to Senator Caraway's sharp jabs and insinuations, Archlobbyist Grundy dropped a remark about "backward commonwealths," implying that Arch-Democrat Caraway came from one. Arch-Republicans were delighted and their most resonant organ, the New York Herald Tribune, printed editorials applauding Mr. Grundy for standing up to "arrogant," "pestiferous," "bumptious," "menacing" Senator Caraway and his "senile gabbling," his "gutter psychology."

Senators often receive editorial comment during hot debates, sympathizers cheering them on, opponents flaying them. To barbed shafts from the side of the arena, Senators usually turn the shield of their dignity or, if they have any, their humor. But when Senator Caraway received in his mail the Herald Tribune's editorials clipped out by a Dr. J. Clarence Sharp of Manhattan who said he thought the Herald Tribune had "great courage," something happened to Senator Caraway. He instantly wrote Dr. Sharp a note of which the following was the main paragraph :

"Did it ever occur to you that no one ever cared for the good opinion of a degenerate, and I am sure no white person ever associated with you willingly."

Investigation by marvelling observers suggested that Senator Caraway had been so carried away he had no idea of what he was saying. The Dr. J. Clarence Sharp he thus addressed proved to be not only a white man but a man even whiter than sandy Senator Caraway--a blue-eyed, pink-&-white blond, an ear, nose & throat specialist of considerable reputation, one of the best "radical mastoid" men in the land, a gentleman of 69 who for years was a familiar figure on the socialite golf links of Piping Rock Club, L. I.

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