THE CONGRESS: Tight Squeeze

In the Senate, Harry Truman narrowly escaped another setback to presidential prestige. This time, it was on his nomination of Raymond S. McKeough (rhymes with Reo), ex-New Deal Congressman from Illinois and onetime OPA official, to the U.S. Maritime Commission. The Senate Commerce Committee had turned thumbs down, because McKeough was still a paid ($10,000-a-year) director for C.I.O.'s P.A.C. The Administration took the fight to the floor.

In last week's debate, it soon became clear that William Green's A.F. of L. was out hot & heavy to beat the grey-haired, wide-eyed New Dealer. The argument: he was hooked up to C.I.O., hence would be influenced in decisions on wages and labor problems. Said Louisiana's paunchy John H. Overton, who led the fight against confirmation: "Our merchant marine is resting now on a powder keg because of the antagonism between the C.I.O. and A.F. of L. I don't want to light the fuse." Said Illinois' Scott Lucas, leading the fight for the Administration, "the basic reason [for the opposition] was that Mr. McKeough went out to work for the P.A.C. to help re-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt."

McKeough's admission that he was still on P.A.C.'s payroll did not help. It brought the Administration down to the earthy argument that his rejection would play direct into Republican hands. Nine Democrats, six of them Southerners, were unimpressed, voted with the Republicans anyhow. But it was not enough. Raymond McKeough squeezed through by an eight-vote margin, was confirmed, 42-to-34.