SENATOR KNOWLAND

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Senate Leader. Two years ago, before the late Robert A. Taft claimed the majority leadership. Bill Knowland brashly announced his own candidacy for the post. Then, during his fatal illness, Taft appointed him acting majority leader. Helen Knowland foresaw her husband's difficulty as majority leader. Wrote she: "He's never had to compromise, but he'll have to now, and that will be hard work. Billy will need a new technique." Billy tried compromise and met with some notable failures (e.g., last winter's Bricker Amendment wrangle).

Knowland has voted with the Administration on domestic matters, but has veered farther and farther away on foreign policy. His emphasis on Asia has been a wholesome influence until recently, when it has been carried beyond all bounds of practicality. Whether his foreign policy position led him to support of McCarthy is not clear—probably not even to Bill Knowland. What is clear is that he destroyed his chance of becoming mere than a nominal party leader when he deserted his own appointees on the Watkins committee. There will be no serious move to replace Knowland; he will simply continue as the Republican non-leader in the Senate.

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