I was in favor of assigning him to that committee. but that in the absence of such a request from any other western Senator. I thought that one of the criteria that should have been taken into account in filling the committee assignments was geographical distribution. It was my position that in that instance the Senate certainly should have .taken into account the tremendous interest of the people of the west coast in Asiatic problems. and that there ought to have been a west coast Senator on the committee. The Senator from Wisconsin now saysand. I respectfully suggest. it is an afterthought. because not even cold print will sustain himthat he was speaking facetiously.