Summaries of Telephone Conversations

Washington, D. C. GO SUMMARY September 22, 1945 8:20 AM CORCORAN to EDWARD F. PRICHARD relating that the letter was on (FRED) VINSON's desk. TOM and ED discuss the desirability of TOM's going to VINSON and asking for a showdown on the KIEHN matter--or going higher. ED said he believes that VINSON will not "move" on it today but might do so if pressed by the right people. TOM would not lose anything by going to VINSON in this manner, thinks ED. They decide that they will let the matter rest today and then Monday either TOM or JOSH (LEE) will personally see VINSON about it. 11:11 AM JAMES P. McGRANERY to CORCORAN. CORCORAN said, "I didn't get to see him yesterday." CORCORAN said that "he" invited "me" down to "that party" this afternoon, but CORCORAN said he didn't think he would go. He asked if McGRANERY is going and McGRANERY said he is and asked CORCORAN to go with him. McGRANERY is going down (to Jefferson Island ?) in the morning and come back tomorrow afternoon. CORCORAN said he might go with McGRANERY. McGRANERY then said that to bring CORCORAN up-to-date on what has happened, "GUFFEY had a chat with PAT McCARRAN and PAT called me. PAT thinks that GUFFEY might join with SMITH of New Jersey and let this thing go to New Jersey rather than let me have it. He's coming before the committee on Monday." CORCORAN asked, "The Judiciary Committee?" and McGRANERY said, "That's right. So I talked to PAT pretty long and loud about it and PAT's all right. Then I talked to JOE O'MAHONEY so JOE's going to take time out from his other committee and go over there. I think maybe that might be enough without circulating too much around there, don't you think so?" CORCORAN said, "Yeah, and McGRANERY said, "I haven't been able to do anything about this guy LANGER, you see, because I don't want to appeal to him directly." CORCORAN said he would take care of that for McGRANERY if he wanted him to because "JOE and I came from the same home town and I know LANGER myself. McGRANERY said to wait a little while because "I've got a call in for JOE and he was going to talk to him. Those two are just like Mutt and Jeff." CORCORAN then asked if LES (BIFFLE) has gone down (to Jefferson Island ?) yet, and McGRANERY said they are not leaving until this afternoon. 11:52 AM CORCORAN to ABE FORTAS at Interior. Out, but he's at REpublic 2353. CORCORAN then spoke with him at that number. CORCORAN said, "ABE you'll notice that that bill passed in the House yesterday cutting off the Tidelands. ABE said he tried to get CORCORAN before the bill went through "to enlist your help, but you were out of town." CORCORAN said the bill could be more easily "held" in the Senate than in the House. "What they did," said CORCORAN, "is slip it through when there wasn't anybody there. ABE said, "We couldn't stop it there. We tried hard. But now what I want to do, TOM--and I want to consult you about this-- is to ask for a full blown hearing in the Senate. If we have that hearing I'm going to go up. Now, the thing was made awkward for us in the House with some of our friends by the language of the Secretary's letter. That is to say--that phrase seemed quite advisable at the time that it should be settled by legislation or litigation. They said, 'Well, hell, all ICKES wants is for the issue to be settled and we're going ahead and settle it. 1 Of course, ICKES wanted it settled right."