They had buried Joe Robinson down in Arkansas just three days before the Democrats of the U. S. Senate met to pick his successor as their leader—highest gift in their power. It was the first time Democrats had gathered for such a purpose since Dec. 4, 1923, when the late great Oscar Wilder Underwood's resignation took effect. Joe Robinson had then been chosen unanimously.
As 74 Democrats straggled into the great marble caucus room of the Senate Office Building, all knew that one of two members would be chosen—but far from unanimously. Since the hour Joe Robinson was found dead with a bound volume of the Congressional Record beside him, there had been fierce fighting for his job. Friends of the two men lobbied on the funeral train. President Roosevelt took sides. He wrote a letter to ''Dear Alben" Barkley which referred pointedly to the fact that Mr. Barkley was now Acting Leader. A worried afterthought was the President's assurance to Pat Harrison that he was neutral. Nobody was neutral. The issue was plain: Barkley & President Roosevelt v. Harrison & Friends.
When the 74 had taken their seats.* Senator Barkley, as Acting Leader, rapped lor order. Turning the gavel over to Senator Pittman, President Pro-temp of the Senate, Candidate Barkley took his seat with the others. The chairman appointed McKellar (a Barkley man) and Russell (for Harrison) to count the ballots. Senator Black, secretary of the majority conference, prepared to write them down. Carter Glass, oldest man in the Senate, offered his battered Panama for a ballot box. prompting New Jersey's Smarty Smathers, three months a Senator, to crack about secret ballots in a glass hat.
By One Vote. Senator Adams of Colorado walked forward, tossed the first slip of white cardboard into Carter Glass's hat. Andrews was second, then Ashurst, then Bailey.
Texas' Tom Connally rose to his feet. "Mr. President," he drawled, "we haven't nominated anybody yet. I therefore ask unanimous consent that we consider the Senator from Mississippi, Mr. Harrison, and the Senator from Kentucky, Mr. Barkley, as candidates." Seventy-four Senators snickered at this bit of superfluity. Chairman Pittman sang, "Without objection it is so ordered,'' and the voters resumed their trips to the table, one by one, until Burt Wheeler gingerly cast the last ballot. Senator Pittman banged his gavel: "The judges will count the votes." There were 75. "The judges will read the ballots."
"Barkley," shouted Judge Russell, as he drew out the first slip. "Harrison," barked Judge McKellar on the second. "Harrison."' "Harrison." "Harrison." "Harrison." "Barkley." "Barkley." "Harrison." "Barkley." Seesaw. Seesaw. When the vote reached 37-37 there was a pause and a dead silence. The final ballot looked "big as a quilt" to Candidate Barkley, who bit off his pipestem.
"Barkley."