State

Hoey As a Senator Ills iii.'iiiv now responsibilities haven't eliani'etl li i in in the slightest degrci». anil lie's just as frtanclly and folksy up in Wash¬ ington as lie uas in Raleigh. IF there’s another man in the United States Senate who radi¬ ates the down-to-earth human ualitics of Clyde R. Hoey of North arolina, it would be a challenge to name him. Among a body of men in which temperament often gets out of hand. Senator Hoey stands out for his genuine modesty, his common sense views and atti¬ tudes. his devotion to principles, and his selflessness. That, perhaps, is the key to his personality — his selflessness. An¬ other great North Carolinian, the late Thomas Wolfe, once said that a man had to live through great adversity and suffer intensely in order to possess these qualities: humility, tolerance, and true hu¬ man understanding. Senator Hoey possesses them in generous meas¬ ure. For, in his lifetime, he has faced and met great personal diffi¬ culties. hardships, and problems. He has known what it was like to "do without." Nothing of Pretense Every adversity and difficult experience have added to his true growth, his stature and his under¬ standing. His actions and his per¬ sonality are so shorn of all pretense that it’s refreshing just to approach him. He doesn’t speak without thinking. There's about him a shining integrity of character. You can absolutely depend upon what he tells you — you can count on his carrying out his promises. Each morning after rising. Sena¬ tor Hoey leaves the Raleigh Hotel (in Washington. D. C.), where he stays, and catches a street car to capital hill — only a few minutes' ride away. No flashy car. no chauf¬ feur. for him. It’s only rarely that he even uses a taxicab. Plain every¬ day people use the street cars; and Senator Hoey considers that mode of transportation good enough for him, too. That affords him a chance to rub elbows with average working people and to hear their comments. Often, too. he will spot some North Carolinian or another friend; and there inevitably follows some hand¬ shaking and an exchange of plcas- THE STATE. JULY 6. 1946 HOYT Mo Л FEE entries. Senator Hoey is well known, even in Washington. His singular garb— fresh red carnation in his coat lapel, his long coat, and his striped trousers— set him off. sartorially, from other United States Senators. Senator Hoey is always gen¬ uinely glad to see home folks. North Carolinians, and all people of good-will. He stands on no for¬ mality. You just go up to him, and he greets you with a worm handshake. He's so natural that it would be impossible to feel ill at ease around him. As one seasoned capital observer said to me not long ago. Senator Hoey’s face reflects the look of humanity itself. As United States Senator. Clyde R. Hoey realizes his responsibilities to North Carolina and to the nation as a whole. He knows that he has an important job to do: and he gives it his utmost devotion. He’s conscientious in his attendance of committee meetings, as he is in looking after the needs of constit¬ uents. He's too concerned with everybody’s welfare to use his temporary position as acting mayor of Washington as a springboard for personal publicity. He tells you: “Some sections of the press pick out and olay up only what's sensational. If what I say doesn't make sense. I don’t want the American people to read or hear it." That’s his credo — everything has to add up to good sense. Receives Attention Back when the Senate chamber was resounding to the emotional rantings and outbursts of oppo¬ nents and proponents of the Fair Employment Practices Act. Sena¬ tor Hoey bv resort to earnest per¬ suasion and commonsense appeal won a respectful listening audience His most striking asset is his capac¬ ity for cutting through non-essen¬ tials and getting to the heart of human values. The Senator is a fine parliamen¬ tarian, and this fact was recognized by his brother-senators shortly after he arrived in Washington. He is being called upon quite frequently to preside over the up¬ per chamber of Congress, and he does it smoothly and efficiently. Some one hundred and fifty let¬ ters and upward pour into Senator Hoey’s office every day. Letters from friends, from people wanting tabs. help, and advice. His office iums with activity — callers, the telephones ringing, and telegrams arriving. Almost every Sundav afternoon Senator Hoey spends several hours in his office, catching up on his papers, reading corre¬ spondence, and studying matters which require the deepest thought. For all the prestige and impor¬ tance of being a United States Sena¬ tor. it’s not hard to perceive that Senator Hoey regarded holding the governorship of North Carolina as his most satisfying experience in his long public career. He observes that, although North Carolina’s governor is denied the veto power, it ranks as one of the foremost offices and responsibilities in the nation. In fact, he thinks that North Carolina governors wield more influence than governors in most of the other states. As was his wont when he was governor of North Carolina, it’s a rare Sunday morning that Senator Hoey doesn't rise early, attend some church, and maybe teach a Sunday school class. He goes to different denominational churches. He has spoken in Jewish syna¬ gogues and to Catholic groups. By his deeds he demonstrates his ad¬ herence to a basic concept of the American way of life— religious tolerance. If the United States Senate ever gets around to considering a pro¬ posal for limiting the President of the United States to one six-year term, Senator Hoey will vote for its adoption. For he feels that a more impartial administration and one devoted more energetically to the general welfare would grow out of such a reform. After his term as governor of North Carolina ended in 19-10. (Continued on page 20) p