Fight Over Flynn

Mr. President, it is my observation in looking about the chamber today that the stench of the Flynn appointment has become so nauseating to the majority members of the Senate that when it was known quite generally that the Senator from New Hampshire would make further remarks regarding Mr. Flynn a great majority of them beat it to the cloakrooms.

Thus New Hampshire's smooth, sarcastic Republican Senator Styles Bridges resumed his attack one day last week on Franklin Roosevelt's appointment of Democratic National Chairman Edward J. Flynn as Minister to Australia and special envoy in the South Pacific (TIME, Jan. 18). Styles Bridges had sighted political pay dirt; he had a little score to settle with the Administration for digging up potent, ex-Republican Governor Francis P. Murphy to run against him in last November's election.

There were never more than eight Democrats in the chamber as Styles Bridges reeled off his charges of alleged graft in Ed Flynn's political past.

One Senator who listened was Texas' tall, shambling Tom Connally, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. Up rose Tom Connally and drawled: "[The Committee] did not appoint Mr. Flynn, nor have we expressed the view that we would not let him be confirmed in advance of a hearing. . . . The Senator from New Hampshire is welcome to attend the meeting. . . . We'll look over anything he may bring with him." Tom Connally paused, added: "And we have sanitary facilities in the committee room where he can dispose of any bucket of slop he may have."

Styles Bridges jumped to his feet, flushed angrily: "There won't be any bucket of slop unless Flynn's there in it."

"Political Mistake." Not since Franklin Roosevelt's nomination of Hugo Black to the Supreme Court in 1937 had there been such volatile discussion over an appointment, such throwing of epithets. Even Ed Flynn's stanch defenders shook their heads. Said New Deal Columnist Ernest K.

Lindley: "Any nomination which creates a political ruckus in which no vital question of policy is at stake must be regarded as a political mistake."

By all the laws of practical politics, tall, easygoing Ed Flynn would be entitled to his new job without causing a national uprising. Barring any new, sensational proof of Senator Bridges' charges, his record is remarkably clean for one who has been a political boss--local (The Bronx) and national--for 22 years. Ed Flynn's unswerving loyalty to Franklin Roosevelt might recommend him as a personal envoy. But of the talents necessary for a representative of the U.S. people, Frank Knox's Chicago Daily News said: "He is not a diplomat. He has had no foreign experience. He has had no military experience. He has no particular familiarity with Australia or with Pacific problems."

To all the shouting, Ed Flynn merely replied that he would welcome an investigation: the Foreign Relations Committee ordered full-dress hearings. If Tom Connally can hold the Democratic lines intact his confirmation is assured. This week at a brief meeting in Chicago, Flynn relinquished the Democratic chairmanship to balding, dutiful Postmaster General Frank C. Walker. Said Ed Flynn of that meeting: "The air is oppressive with harmony around here." Then he packed up to sniff a different climate.

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