THE CONGRESS: Mushrooming Words

When the U.S. Senate started debating the atomic-energy bill (see box) last fortnight, no one on Capitol Hill expected a major explosion. Then, New Mexico Democrat Clinton Anderson dropped in a rider to wipe out President Eisenhower's plan for AEC purchase of electric power from private companies. From that triggering device there mushroomed one of the bitterest filibusters ever.

For six days the marathon debate was not recognized for what it was. Then Majority Leader William Knowland said, as if surprised: "I had no reason to believe that the liberal wing of the...

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