Saints in the Senate

THE CONGRESS

In Salt Lake City in 1890, snow-bearded Wilford Woodruff, then President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, received a revelation from the Lord that the world was not yet ripe for the doctrine of plural marriage. Forthwith he banned it, ordered immediate excommunication of all Mormons who insisted on the full life, including polygamy. That obstacle at last removed, Utah was admitted to Statehood, although Reed Smoot, Mormon Senator, wasn't sure of his seat until after an exhaustive Senate investigation had disclosed that Mormons did not have two horns and a tail, as charged.

Last week another Mormon went to the Senate. Nevada's Governor E. P. Carville (a Catholic) appointed to the seat of the late Key Pittman a 34-year-old L. D. S. bishop, Berkeley Lloyd Bunker, a Texaco filling-station operator of Las Vegas, Nev.

Senator-Bishop Bunker, 5 ft. 10 in., stocky, with dark wavy hair, heavy eyebrows, Clark Gable ears and a hairline mustache, is dapper, earnest, no isolationist. Like the late Brigham Young, he loves to dance.* He observes the Word of Wisdom (no tobacco, tea, coffee or strong drink), chews hundreds of sticks of gum annually; as a bishop he marries, buries, and manages church affairs without remuneration. High-school educated, the son of pioneer ranchers, he entered politics four years ago as a Young Democrat, topped the ticket in 1938 in a race for the Legislature, became Speaker of the Assembly in 1939, was re-elected to the Assembly this year.

Although a friend of the Governor, he had not even a wild dream of a Senate seat, wept most of the night after the appointment. He called his wife long distance. She said: "My gosh!" Said Governor Carville: "He typically represents the young manhood of Nevada. This nation today is calling upon its young men. . . ."

As the Senate's age average dropped, with oldsters being replaced by such men as Senator-Bishop Bunker and Senator-Newshawk Joseph Ball of Minnesota (35) its Mormon quota had gone up. Already sitting were Saints William H. King and D.Thomas of Utah. Lame Duck King will be replaced Jan. 3 by chubby Saint Abe Murdock. One indirect Mormon loss: the passing from politics of Mormon-admiring Henry F. Ashurst of Arizona.

*No prig, Brigham Young founded the Salt Lake Theatre (where Maude Adams first appeared on stage, age 9 months) as one of his first creations; organized the still flourishing Young Men's & Women's Mutual Improvement Associations, whose sessions ended in dances, which were (and are) always opened with prayer. Pioneer Young wanted young Mormons to have their fun in church, not taverns.

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