Standoff

New Hampshire's bald, Scripture-spouting old Senator Charles W. Tobey found a perfect foil for his histrionic talent last week: Joseph P. Ryan, burly, grumpy "lifetime" president of the A.F.L. International Longshoremen's Association. Ryan has not only been indicted for misusing $11,390 in union funds, but has been ordered, on pain of action by his peers in the Federation, to clean up his criminal-ridden waterfront locals in the Port of New York. Nevertheless, on appearing as a witness before Tobey and his waterfront investigation committee, Joe refused to admit that he was heavy with sin.

Tobey hammered the table, waved his arms, mugged, and at times seemed close to the edge of genuine apoplexy. But Ryan did not repent. He testified that he had not purged his union of racketeers, and (although 60% of its organizers have criminal records) acted as though he had none at all to purge. He said the A.F.L. had extended its cleanup deadline to May 15, but he showed no signs of planning any purges in the future (which made a showdown over the I.L.A. almost inevitable at the next meeting of the A.F.L. Executive Council).

Rage, shock, outraged propriety chased themselves across Tobey's features. At one point, while Ryan was being questioned by Michigan's Senator Charles E. Potter, whose legs were blown off at the knees by a land-mine explosion in France, Tobey broke in to cry:

"I marvel at his [Potter's] sense of restraint. This man is a noble American citi zen, a soldier in World War II. He lost both legs. He went down to the shadow of the valley of death, and to sit here and hear these stories ... of the crooks under you . . . you employed the crooks and gangsters, gave them your benediction; I marvel at his restraint. There are many more millions who hate this crowd. I say damn the crowd. And I say it to you! If I had my way, I would kick you out of the union! What's the matter with you? Aren't you an American citizen?"

Gathering breath as the hearing progressed, he answered himself: "You're un-American all through!"

"Whose job is it to keep the waterfront clean?" Ryan mumbled incautiously, later in his testimony, in an attempt to pass the buck to the cops.

"Yours!" yelled Tobey triumphantly.

Even after nearly four hours, Ryan refused to come forward and be saved. Tobey finished strong.

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