U.S. At War: By the Flank

Everyone assumed that the special, temporary Dies committee and the 78th Congress would expire together. But crafty John Rankin, champion of white supremacy and Southern womanhood, foe of civil liberties, thought otherwise.

Shrewd Parliamentarian Rankin moved softly and surely. Several weeks before Congress convened he let it be known that he would try to reconstitute the committee. House leaders, sure that they could block the move by burying the resolution in the Rules Committee, paid little attention. Rankin beat them with a flanking attack never before used in Congress.

He introduced his amendment 20 minutes after he had notified the leadership, ran it...