At his home in Gloucester, Mass, early one morning last week, after long illness, died A. Piatt Andrew, onetime (1910-12) Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, since 1921 a U. S. Representative. He was the tenth Representative, the 14th member of the 74th Congress to die. When the House met at noon that day, it would have been customary to adjourn at once in tribute to the dead colleague. But Congress was straining for adjournment by week's end, and the conventional amenities were postponed for nearly three hours by routine business. Then Massachusetts' Treadway arose to present a resolution of adjournment. "Mr. Speaker," cried he to Speaker Joseph Wellington Byrns, "again the Grim Reaper has visited this House. . . ."
Speaker Byrns appointed a committee of four to attend the funeral, banged his gavel for adjournment, went home to his suite at the Mayflower Hotel. Nine hours later the Grim Reaper paid another call, and lanky, bushy-browed, 66-year-old Joe Byrns lay dead of a cerebral hemorrhage, first Speaker in history to die while Congress was in session.
Joe Byrns was not a great Speaker in the tradition of "Tsar" Reed, "Uncle Joe" Cannon and "Nick" Longworth. But the same big, warm heart which kept him from giving the unwieldy House the iron-fisted discipline it often needs made the onetime Tennessee farm boy one of the best-liked Speakers the House has ever had. Last week the nation's statesmen forgot his amiable, easy-going leadership, paid heartfelt tribute to his honest simplicity, blamed his death on the conscientious industry with which he strived to fulfill his duties. "He served his State and the nation," mourned President Roosevelt, "with fidelity, honor and great usefulness."
When the Democratic majority rewarded Joe Byrns's quarter-century of loyal Party service with the Speakership 17 months ago, the New Deal counted on quiet, able Floor Leader William Brockman ("Tallulah's Father") Bankhead of Alabama to help him keep that unwieldy majority marching in line. Leader Bankhead fell ill the day he was elected, did not take over his job until last January. Last week, in its unprecedented situation of being without a Speaker, the House was called to order by Clerk South Trimble less than twelve hours after Joe Byrns had breathed his last. By a plan which Democratic leaders had agreed on few minutes before, Rules Committee Chairman John J. O'Connor promptly rose, declared: "With no disrespect to our beloved Speaker who has left us, it becomes necessary, in order that the House may function and the machinery of government may not stop, that the House proceed to the election of a Speaker." On Chairman O'Connor's motion, a subdued chorus of "ayes" made Leader Bankhead 47th Speaker of the House.
Down the centre aisle through the hushed House, escorted by Representatives O'Connor, Taylor and Snell, marched the sturdy, grim-lipped, white-suited Alabamian. A tactless Congressman started to applaud, was quickly shushed. Speaker Bankhead took his oath with shaking hand, head bowed to hide his tears.