▁the ▁theme ▁of ▁his ▁campaign ▁about ▁the ▁ch ican ery ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁Furthermore , ▁with ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ra ging ▁in ▁Europe , ▁R ivers ▁played ▁up ▁von ▁Kol nitz ' s ▁German ▁name ▁to ▁make ▁him ▁appear ▁as ▁if ▁a ▁Naz i ▁sympath izer . ▁On ▁August ▁ 2 7 , ▁R ivers ▁won ▁the ▁Democratic ▁primary ▁election ▁by ▁running ▁up ▁a ▁huge ▁margin ▁in ▁the ▁count ies ▁outside ▁of ▁Char l eston , ▁which ▁offset ▁his ▁loss ▁in ▁Char l eston ▁County . ▁In ▁those ▁days , ▁victory ▁in ▁the ▁Democratic ▁primary ▁was ▁tant amount ▁to ▁election ▁in ▁South ▁Carolina , ▁and ▁R ivers ▁took ▁office ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁ ▁Cong r essional ▁career ▁ ▁Dom estic ▁legisl ation ▁Once ▁in ▁Congress , ▁R ivers ▁sought ▁a ▁seat ▁on ▁the ▁Agricult ure ▁committee , ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁full ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁instead ▁placed ▁on ▁the ▁Mer chant ▁Marine ▁and ▁Fish eries ▁committee . ▁In ▁March , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁Naval ▁Affairs ▁committee ▁which ▁was ▁later ▁combined ▁with ▁the ▁Military ▁Affairs ▁committee ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁House ▁Ar med ▁Services ▁Committee . ▁His ▁first ▁legisl ative ▁success ▁was ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁when ▁he ▁author ed ▁a ▁bill ▁to ▁build ▁an ▁oil ▁pipeline ▁from ▁Mississippi ▁to ▁the ▁S out heast ▁coast ▁to ▁reduce ▁the ▁transport ation ▁costs ▁of ▁the ▁product . ▁The ▁bill ▁was ▁passed ▁by ▁Congress ▁and ▁signed ▁by ▁President ▁Ro ose vel t , ▁but ▁Secretary ▁of