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December 19, 1945
PORTER SEEN PREFERRING FCC TO WHITE HOUSE SECRETARIAT
Whether or not Paul A. Porter, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, leaves that position to become one of the White House secretaries is believed to hinge on a conference Mr. Porter had with President Truman on Monday. Presumably Mr. Porter called on the President to make a personal report on the recent com¬ munications conference at Bermuda participated in by the United States and the British Commonwealth.
However, it is definitely known that President Truman offered Chairman Porter the secretaryship sometime ago. Also it Is known that Mr. Porter desired to remain at the FCC. Furthermore, it was intimated that he might be interested in some lucrative commer¬ cial offers which have been coming his way. In addition to all this, he has been mentioned for Governor of Kentucky and later Senator.
The persuasive powers of President Truman, however, are well known and if he really has need for Mr. Porter, it is a fore¬ gone conclusion that he will draft him. The writer thus far has seen no speculation as to just what duties President Truman has in mind for Mr. Porter but one niche he would fit into would be the press secretaryship if, as reported, Charley Ross should resign. Mr. Porter, a former newspaper man, served as Director of Publicity of the Democratic National Committee in the 1944 campaign, having suc¬ ceeded that past master of publicity, Charles Michelson. In that contest Mr. Porter was the right-hand man of Chairman Robert Hannegan. now Postmaster General.
Another supposition was that Mr. Porter, being a lawyer, might be in line to succeed to the spot vacated by Judge Rosenman.
If Mr. Porter should leave the FCC either temporarily or permanently, the question Immediately arises as to who would be his successor. The Vice-Chairman of the Commission is Paul A. Walker (same first name and initial as Porter, oddly enough). Mr. Walker, a Democrat, is the only one left of the original appointees to the FCC in 1934 end his term expires next July. Mr. Walker has concern¬ ed himself more with public utilities and is credited with having brought about the big A. T. & T. investigation some years ago.
If Mr. Walker didn't succeed automatically to the chairman¬ ship, another likely candidate would probably be Commissioner Charles R. Denny, also a Democrat, and the newest member of the Commission. Considerably younger than Mr. Walker, who is 64, Mr, Denny is only 33, and made a name for himself as General Counsel for the Commis¬ sion. A native of Baltimore, Mr. Denny Is a graduate of Amherst and Harvard and was formerly an attorney in the Justice Department.
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