Men And Women of Distinction: Sid McMath

Tell this to Biddy Jack Stephens's started to paint and ride out he was about Dave Howden first airborne ride OK. OK I can go from there on time. I'm old go so you know tell me when the governor is speaking of the immigration crisis and the development of rural electrification and the public school system that you so strongly supported and with great passion and the medical center I've always associated to people with you to people who are still very prominent in Arkansas. One of those persons is is Judge Henry Woods the other is legal and Leatherman these gentlemen became your law partners but yet early own in your career they were your friends and mentors and advisers and if you don't mind I heard a story about you in Judge Henry Wood This was many years ago when you were thinking about running the governor and I believe he

I believe Henry Woods may have come to Hot Springs and I have been president the Young Democrats and you were trying to find somebody to manage your campaign and sharing that. Right I remember that because hen and I have been friends same thing for ever. His mother and my mother were friends. His sister who was much older than Henry and my mother were friends and we both graduated from High Springs High School Of course I was a head of him here probably about four years. But when I was elected prosecuting attorney in 1948 course there was speculation about a run for governor and Henry at that time was practicing law in Texas and he was president of the Young Democrats and he came over to see me in about any way he could help me in a campaign I said well I life you to be my campaign manager because being a president a young Democrat it was a natural dad these organization and they were alive Gauhar I was Asian and I

wrote it well organized and active. Probably more so than the Democrats already and so I said Would you be my campaign manager. He says well he says how much money do you have. I said well I've got fifteen hundred dollars cash and I got $15000 he said we can win. That's the power you imagine starting off your campaign with a fifteen hundred dollars gadget to save you not a lot of problems that wouldn't pay you fallow. It would put one 30 second mistake with me and every campaign I've ever been in and he was he was my right hand man when I was governor and he's a real thinker and you talk about Leland Leland. He was my good friend in Hot Springs and it's always been when I needed him and when I left the office one day when the good people of Arkansas retired me in 53.

Henry and Leland opened up a law office and we practiced together far from twenty five years until Henry went on the bench. And they we did it all on a handshake no written contract. We never had a cross word organ about a feat of a goat anything else was a perfect relationship as a great guide and course one handed one on the one on the court. United States district judge he had the segregation cases arising out of the Placer County. And his early decision he held that the school district. Plastic can and should be consolidated safe and coarse and 940. One of our objectives after hours is nominated after I was elected. We wanted to consolidate the screw. There were too many of us some 700 school district. So we supported a bill to raise the village 18 my middle limit on student also to

consolidated schools reducing it from seventeen hundred something to around fifteen hundred three and there's still too many we should have more than certainly more than one school district or county. But in a way Henry believes strongly that these school districts that that in Placer County should be consolidated and he so hell but the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeal didn't agree with him and he reversed it but you can imagine the time and money and energy that have been could be saved instead of at all being in the court room in this whole motional fight over integration and segregation had been put in the classroom. And so he was he was correct about that had a lot of vision Lot Of course I had a lot of courage. And then on the on the race issue and 19. One thousand nine hundred forty eight in September 48 when they changed the rules of the Democratic Party to admit blacks into the party. Henry led the floor I was at the state Democratic convention state Democratic convention held the

corelation oratory September of 1948. So we got this building reduced in Henry led the forum live to get a bad day and you had done a lot of work before yeah you know I worked a lot of people wish there could have been a very explosive moment for the state Democratic Party. We do a lot of ground work on that before they got to the convention. We had the leaders and so forth and we tried to point out to them the direction we should be going and you know it's so basic you know when you go back to the to the Declaration of Independence our forefathers were inspired you know as all men are created equal. Well if they are created equal they should have an even larger getting together to to to find their talents to hold their scale to be competitive to be good service and then they then they have the pretty preamble to the Constitution of the United States. We the People of the United States in Order to form a more perfect union establish justice. Justice

requires that everybody be treated equally that everybody be given an equal opportunity in this land. That's why so many people want to come to this world you know they're beating down the doors to get it drawn out it stays because of the Freedom train course you know that's another thing about the 57 incident. So that gave the wrong impression. See that flag stands for freedom. That flag up the top of the pole people that that stands for freedom for every man woman and child and so his neighbors he's a great judge and he was a good friend and leven when we began fractional together he took over the attorney job to represent all of Rural Electric Cooperatives. So we maintain our relation with we're like well you know speaking of a real visionary Leland Leatherman in my mind is truly an Arkansas vision he saw this so much earlier than the rest of us and yet you've always had a great impact on not only have they had an impact on you some of the then the young

men of Arkansas coming up here but you have an impact on them and vice versa. Well one of the perfect really should be one of those gifts for me is that we have not mentioned. That you touched early in his life was a young bond salesman a young financier by the name of Jack Steve lives in Little Rock and you. If I'm not mistaken he became the youngest member of the universe personnel board per street trustees and you appointed him last correct David. Jack and I became acquainted early in the campaign and he supported me I guess in every election I have a ran and we certainly in the early days and I thought that he would be of great service all the you know the worst part of the whole board trustees because he and I had a shared philosophy about educational

opportunities for everybody you know. And Jack was on the board for I guess 10 years and did an outstanding job. He certainly did have an let me put in a plug if I might Jack Stephens TO DAY is a primary supporter. This program that we are initiating to teach Arkansas history and our school system in Broward and we had a seminar not too long ago and play it all in. We brought 50 Arkansas teachers there to teach them how to teach Arkansas history to teach other teachers have to teach Arkansas history and he was a very very generous financial supporter of their cause and remained so sad to hear that that day he's done a wonderful thing in recent years of all of his years but in recent years what he's done with the Arts Center and many many other causes. Well that's it is mission or not as of yet right.

His vision and his willingness to be a public servant is correct. Well Governor Henry Woods and Leland live among and Jack Stevens and all of these people that you have watched in your in your productive life and by the way here you are two more years you're going to be 90 you know you still have that passion. Let me tell you you are known basically as a winner which you did not always win. Let's talk about that election if we could is we won't know we won't go into it in great detail if you like of 1952 by the way I lost a race one time and still in the group I think of I don't know I think I've won nine or ten racers or 15 or so I've been on a lot of ballots but I lost one one time to John L. McClellan in 1972 still in the grocery store people say David I want to tell you why you lost that race and I think saved to do that and talk about the ones that I may have won but they talk about they when I

lost you lost one and nine hundred fifty two. It was a big blow. Tell us about that. Well there are 53 race when I ran for third term. I should never fit behind three or 50 to 250 to do what I prize it was a new term again I said you're right I should not have made that race. Say the power aligned against me was just overwhelming. They had hell you've taken on a lot of groups and yeah you know there are courses they had had the highway audit things and that was spectacular and used and they held it in till till till the beginning of the race and in nineteen fifty two they're spraying my relation all these charges about my administration I will let you say this ultimately no wrongdoings were fine you know I want the grand jury.

Went through this business. And the chairman of the highway Audit Commission was a member of the board of directors our shop or my company on each of the grand juries they were either members of the Arkansas prior unlike the board of directors are representatives of the CC So there was and then in the second grand jury they had private funds to hire a private prosecutor to see that you know everything was covered and they had no opportunities to get an indictment were passed over. Well after three grand juries in succession they came up with two indictments of highway employee and the first indictment was not thrown out by the trial judge for lack of evidence. And the jury at the second trial went to the jury and the jury was out four minutes and returned a verdict of not guilty.

Well that particular defendant and all that was that was a result of all the highway your attention and your focus and your resources of energy were focused on this on this episode when you were loosened with this and push you know you it's hard to be defeated an allegation true feuded allegation three you've got a blue ribbon grand jury came in out with all these charges and so forth the first grand jury found no indictments but two of the members of the grand jury sociate with arms are part lot you've made of the sand a lot of statements about well it should have been indicted so for put so much heat on the judge to take all he called another grand jury and that was why they hired a private prosecutor and a prosecuting attorney read the prosecutor didn't know anything about it and the judge didn't know anything about it when he found out he dismissed that grand jury and then they called a third one and then they came up with two and there were a lot of people in that campaign and I guess the 52 that was the race that France's ceria Jonesborough definitely won't he have a as we call a gimmick

that works the year and that was of course the Tulka phone you remember his talk. Yeah that was bad idea for France if you had a chance Ross would guide we were and last year was the same time we ran on the same take it for when I ran for president of the student body he ran for president she declared we want the same ticket. And so I don't always know Francis but he's a chancellor assure a judicial insurers or so they present our shop are like me you were against me at that time and I thought he saw all he came up with this talkathon because a candidate in Florida had used the law and it was a natural for Francis So you provided you pay it off price if you use it and it was great for him see their footprint. I called in you know and have people call in and ask questions about the advice. Oh yeah he would stay on the little radio stations for hours and hours as long as

people would drive up and give the money to the station owner and manager in the Sheridan area ice cream you know he's avoided all of a beat for a second term that is correct and so then they were later they ever did they were several interesting characters and one was former judge and prosecutor started see another was a former congressman and then they all different parts of the state another one was a crime I would be attorney general. That's right and and so there are it's all part of like Comey had people in and each of their headquarters. So when I was with them when they did and they do live primary I mean when I was a second and you live crime if you are there to take him from me. And so Francis and I went in the rubble into the room. Well they all joined all of them then. And our senior senator and presidential prime like to gather Joe's burger endorsed French and so I was I was defeated and as I say I should have made re.

Well you didn't stay out of politics for very long. You still had that. You are still that fire horse and you still have that passion. You wanted to do something so the next thing you did is two years later you ran not for governor again but you challenged John L. McClay Senator John L. McClellan in 1954 and this was kind of the peak or at the of the Joe McCarthy Iraq and you took on John L. McClellan to talk about that race a little bit well first place John McClellan and I have been good friends. I campaigned for him when he was first elected to Congress. And but we got crosswise because of the power if you know he was against President Truman's program. So I ran against him in 1954 and was defeated.

That was at the time of the McCarthy era and this is it. I think it's a little interesting and it doesn't. McCarthy was running for re-election this time Eisenhower running for president. And they were on a joint program. And then I saw that and my car they had been accusing General Marshall of being a communist or president from when Rivera General Marshall and one of the great generals we don't have a say. And so of course he took exception to that in a Marshall. Hey he was he would have been commander of the forces in Europe except he was needed by Roosevelt and he'd like Truman anyway. Press President General Eisenhower and Senator McCarthy were on the same platform. And my God it was so and McCarthy had been attacking

General Marshall. And president the candidate for president of life now was going to respond that he may make that attack on this particular character. Well General Eisenhower listen to MacArthur make his tirade on. He's running against everybody and his accusations against General Marshall. And when General Eisenhower made his talk. He didn't say anything on behalf of General Marshall. He did next take exception to the court not to defend and did not defend him. Well President Truman did not like that. He did not like that. And when President Truman was going out of office and General Eisenhower was coming in as president. You know the custom is that day in class as they go up to the White House and escort the outgoing president down to the limousine and they ride together out to the Capitol for the swearing in

ceremonies. Well General Eisenhower didn't get out of the car and he didn't get out no love to offer the president come in. Well of course President Truman didn't like that he didn't care what you thought or did President Truman but he revered the presidency. And so all the way out things without a tight and said Lewis Carroll eyes and I said Mr. President he said I want to tell you a long time ago why I wasn't at your inauguration he says well you know that was your day. And I didn't want to interfere with your inauguration in your day. Take publisher the away from you on that. And President Truman thought about that for a minute and he says General you know why you wanted my inauguration. He says by a crack he had in the Senate. That was one year ago I was hours command of the NATO forces that while well do you remember.

I've never will forget. We were in high school with this time when Harry Truman fired Douglas MacArthur General MacArthur and our whole school got to listen on the intercom to that address and then it came out in 45 rpm saying dress Old soldiers never die they just but you're not committed. Great hunks of that speech to memory and shortly after that I became a page in the Congress and I used to think about the great Some of those great not only his speech but it was one of the great old ration. Oh I wrote a letter to to the Congress I guess plus MacArthur was a great general no question of that time but he had some conflicts with President Truman on Foreign Policy Project Truman was trying the worst way to keep from getting into a third that was for you know to have if the Russians had gone in and training one of the Koreans and equip them and then the Chinese came across a yeah Lou in

November of the 1950 and looked like we're going to involve the child and I troops are being driven out of there are South Korea and so forth. And and. He had some big decisions to make and Eisenhower looked like. I mean John MacArthur was taking issue with the president on foreign policy issues like drug using the bomb for example or using using a change wish I knew Joe Blow and so predatorial And you know he made a trip to Wake Island visit with President Carter and get from him his evaluation of the situation and see if they could come to an understanding. And the main issue he wanted the main question he wanted answered is whether Johnny's going to come in and have a live Marines up around choice of choice rather boring make contact with Chinese for all but Gen.. John MacArthur sure did that well he says. All this commotion about the

Chinese company and the statements they made that's not going to come out of this war and so President Freeman went home and he had been in the Oval Office for a lot of the Chinese all the solar just I think pretty armies will conquer RCL assure and course things deteriorated and cause he had to release MacArthur and cause general he had the advice of General MacArthur Chiefs of Staff and so forth. They did have a problem with that that was a momentous time and our love in our country's history and MacArthur was almost godlike level when you're there for he was right for him when he was running for Iraq didn't run for president after him by the way in 1954 a little tidbit of history we're telling about that. So those campaigns it was I believe in September of 54 that. Job McCarthy was censored by the United States and a censor came down against him in the war in World War 2. I have heard you speak of this so

often and I know that you feel very strongly about it and you've probably developed an expertise in this field that no one knows much about. Tell us about Vox Arkansas law and Saline County. Very briefly and its contribution to the world war to war effort if you would David. Very few people appreciate you asked me that question. You talk about history. This is a dramatic chapter in the history of Arkansas the history of the country nobody knows about that the average person doesn't know anything about it. You know when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. President Roosevelt out of the world we're going to build a hundred airplanes. Well there you have to have aluminum to build airplanes and the experts didn't think they could he could do it we could do it. Hitler didn't think we could do it because at that time the Bok side that we were using was coming from South America and the Nazi naval

blockade had these ships bring in a box and it bore cargo I mean blockaded their South Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. So we weren't getting that source of Darkseid and Al Gore had had a very conservative policy of conserving their resources for the future. So they were using their South American power plant. Well. Roosevelt knew something that the experts didn't know or that Hitler didn't know he knew about oxide Arkansaw 95 percent of the box like in North America was in a box like Arkansas and he knew about the people that we've been calling to go in and dig it out of greater people than Darkseid in central Arkansas all one at one end and worked around the clock to dig out that box size and aluminum most produced and planes were built and battles were fought and victory was won and the Eighth Air Force. When we had the D-Day we just observed a day of June the 6th.

They had a mission and their mission was after we got had made the landing was to prevent Rommel and three cracked Nazi divisions of launching a counterattack against the chair. Well Rommel had his division ready but he was waiting for orders from Hitler and Hitler was asleep and nobody would be waiting on you and when you got there got the order it was too late because it ate their forces had destroyed their lines of communication the railroads the highways and so Hawk leading down to the beaches. And so they did a Nazi doctor who never got there and the plane just eight Air Force was flying well made from a lone nut side Harbach side Arkansas water they grow in other threads there is a 3 and the outside is mine to make that aluminum was mine but you're the only one I think that developed has developed this as a story in it once again it's a great

power and a city hears about how Of course now we are history. You know they just scarred the earth down at the bit the defense demands and you saw none of it looked like Mars or you know the moon. Well you know what they're doing they're working with the Game Fish Commission to rehabilitate land that land and and re storage to its natural state and turn it all into some past great situation right now. Here you are you're practicing law or you're out of office you run against. That's good OK.