Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1957)

GOVERNMENT N.J. LAWYER MAY GET FCC POST • He's Edward Mills, now in other administration job • White House checks Jersey senators for clearance THE White House last week advised New Jersey's senators that a 51 -year-old New Jersey lawyer was under active consideration to succeed George C. McConnaughey on the FCC. It was widely believed that the White House would soon submit for Senate confirmation the name of Edward K. Mills Jr., now deputy administrator of the General Services Administration, for a seven-year term on the FCC beginning July 1. Chairman McConnaughey's term expires June 30. Whether the President had Mr. Mills iri mind for the FCC chairmanship could not be learned at the time this story went to press. At midweek it was reliably said that Mr. Mills' appointment to the commission would be sent to the Senate momentarily, and it was then believed he was also destined for the chairmanship. By week's end, however, the question of the chairmanship became unsettled. Indeed, some uncertainty developed as to the commissionership appointment itself. Some senators from other states supporting other candidates for the FCC were said to have urged the White House to reconsider the Mills appointment. There were conflicting reports as to the probable choice of a chairman. Speculation centered around Mr. Mills and two incumbent Republicans, Comrs. John C. Doerfer and Robert E. Lee. The other incumbent Republican, Rosel H. Hyde, has already held the chairmanship. He was appointed to it by President Eisenhower July 1, 1953, and served until Mr. McConnaughey joined the FCC as chairman Oct. 4, 1954. Mr. Mills joined the Eisenhower "businessman's government" a year ago for his second tour of government service. His first was during the Roosevelt administration when he was chief of the Opinion Section of the Civil Aeronautics Authority in 1939-40. His primary interest, however, has been in New Jersey law practices. He was active in the Eisenhower presidential campaign of 1952 as chairman of the Morris County Citizens for Eisenhower Committee. He is a neighbor of such Eisenhower Republican bigwigs as Bernard M. Shanley, secretary to the President, and Rep. Peter Frelinghuysen Jr. (R-N. J.). Early in his law practice he was associated with William J. Brennan Jr., now Associate Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court. Mr. Mills was said to have the endorsement of both New Jersey senators, Clifford P. Case and H. Alexander Smith (both Republicans). Indeed it was from aides of those two senators that word came last Wednesday that the appointment of Mr. Mills was "in the works." A day later, Colgate S. Prentice, secretary to Rep. Frelinghuysen, said that Mr. Mills' nomination had been "cleared with both New Jersey senators, but has not yet been cleared with Sens. Knowland and Bricker."" (Sen. William F. Knowland [R-Calif.] is minority leader of the Senate. Sen. John W. Bricker [R-Ohio] is ranking minority member of the Senate Commerce Committee. It is that committee to which FCC nominations are sent.) Sen. Bricker has been a strong supporter of FCC Chairman McConnaughey. Mr. McConnaughey left last Thursday for a long weekend in Columbus, Ohio, where he lived before joining the Eisenhower government as chairman of the Renegotiation Board, the job he held before his appointment to the FCC. A fortnight ago Mr. McConnaughey purchased a home in Columbus [Closed Circuit, April 29]. Two weeks earlier it had FCC CANDIDATE MILLS A DARK HORSE IS LEADING THE FIELD been learned that he had put his Washington home up for sale [Closed Circuit, April 15]. For some time it has been speculated that Mr. McConnaughey would open a law practice, perhaps with offices in Washington and Columbus. Before leaving for Columbus last Thursday (he is due to return to Washington tomorrow), Mr. McConnaughey said he had not made up his mind whether he would open a Washington office. His son has been maintaining a Columbus practice that was started by Mr. McConnaughey. Mr. McConnaughey was appointed to the FCC to fill the unexpired term of Comr. George E. Sterling, who resigned. His appointments as a commissioner and as chairman were announced coincidentally by the White House. The 6-foot-three, 215 lb. Edward Kirk patrick Mills Jr. comes from old New Jersey stock, tracing his family back to Revolutionary days. He was born in Morristown March 19, 1906. Mr. Mills followed the Morris County patrician road — to Phillips Exeter Academy; to Princeton U., from which he received his bachelor's degree in 1928; to Yale Law School, from which he received his LL.B. in 1931. His early law work was with the topdrawer New Jersey legal firm of Pitney, Hardin & Skinner, Newark, N. J. In those junior days he shared the firm's "bull pen" with another young Jerseyman, William J. Brennan Jr., who last fall was named an Associate Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court. Mr. Mills' early practice encompassed the field of corporation law, including specialization in railroad reorganization work. He served as secretary of the Bondholders Protective Committee of the Northern Ohio Railroad and of Central of Georgia Railroad. In 1939 Mr. Mills came to Washington, where he served as chief of the Opinion Section of what was then the Civil Aeronautics Authority. Mr. Mills prepared the CAA's first air mail rate and new route opinions. During the second World War, Mr. Mills flew with the Civil Air Patrol on anti-submarine missions, transferring to the Air Corps as a flight instructor and becoming an Air Transport Command pilot. He also served as planning officer at ATC headquarters, and on the secretariat of two Joint Chiefs of Staff committees — on Atlantic communications, and on Army-Navy air transport facilities in the Pacific. He received the Air Medal for his services. He held a commercial pilot's license, with a flight instructor rating. He has logged more than 1,000 hours. He returned to Morristown after being mustered out of service with the rank of major, joining his father in the family law firm of Mills, Jeffers and Mountain. In 1949 and again in 1950, Mr. Mills was mayor of Morristown. In the 1930s he had served on the board of alderman. He is a director of the Morristown Trust Co. and a vice president and director of Theobald Printing Co., Morristown. He was a member of the Morristown area Chamber of Commerce and a trustee of the Morristown Neighborhood House and other charitable institutions. Almost one year ago, on May 21, 1956, Mr. Mills was named deputy administrator of the General Services Administration (salary: $20,000). This is the federal agency which oversees the vast U. S. housekeeping. It builds and maintains all U. S. government buildings, arranges for transportation and communications services for the federal government; handles the national stockpile and is in charge of the National Archives. As the No. 2 man in the GSA, Mr. Mills is the operating general manager of this vast and complex organization. For the past four months, in addition to this major job. Mr. Mills has acted as commissioner of GSA's Transportation and Public Utilities Service. Despite his bulk, Mr. Mills carries him Page 70 • May 6, 1957 Broadcasting • Telecasting