Conant's Confirmation

Without Senators Saltonstall and Tobey, President Conant's hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee might have turned into a free-for-all. On one hand were witnesses who played with Conant's speeches and articles as though they were so much taffy, perfect for twisting into any shape which appealed to them. As for many of the committee members, the hearing was largely a vehicle for getting platitudes on the record.

Senator Tobey, by underlining the absurdities of the Flynn and Brown testimonies and by keeping these witnesses from wandering off on philosophical tangents, did quite a bit to convince his colleagues that the evidence was featherweight. And Saltonstall in his introduction of Conant clearly stated the President's qualifications, both of experience and character. Of course, the committee's confirmation was finally unanimous, but just as important, the two senators convinced the committee that there was not the slightest doubt about its decision.