Evening star. [volume], December 14, 1951, Page A-13, Image 13

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
David Lawrence:
— ... . ^
President Misses an Opportunity
Adopts Defensive Mood on Charges Leveled at His Appointees,
The Same Attitude He has Exhibited Often in the Past
President Truman had an op
portunity to strike while the
iron was hot—to reflect the
indignation of the country over
the tax scandals. But he chose
instead to adopt at his press
conference a defensive mood—
the same attitude which he
has exhibited often in the past
toward charges of wrongdoing
leveled at his appointees.
The President has promised
a new "cleanup” plan. Until he
was ready to announce it, he
would have been better advised
not to argue the merits of the
criticism that has been directed
at various persons in his ad
ministration. The hint he has
given that he will set up a spe
cial agency to ferret out cor
ruption in the Government and
that it will be an agency of the
executive branch of the Gov
ernment reporting to him will
inevitably arouse suspicion tha;
Mr. Truman wants to control
such an investigating and pros
ecuting process.
But in all probability what
is bothering Mr. Truman is the
difficulty of punishing wrong
doing when there have been
indiscretions and improprieties
that are not actual violations
of law.
It isn’t a violation of law for
an official of the Government to
have as his friends persons of
questionable character.
It isn’t a violation of law to
mingle socially with persons
who ask favors from the Gov
ernment. In fact, it isn’t un
lawful to let persons of influ
ence come to Government of
fices and give them time to
discuss tax cases or anything
else.
But it is, of course, improper,
and, where there is a question
of failure to prosecute where
wrongdoing or tax frauds have
been involved, neglect of duty
is plain. Inefficiency and stu
pidity, however, and even fail
ure to do a duty are not in
themselves a violation of law
that can be proved in a court
and conviction obtained. These
cases call for removal or dis
missal, but they do not neces
sarily permit prosecution.
So when Mr. Truman talks of
setting up a special agency with
a board or commisson of prom
inent men. he is thinking no
doubt not only of some way to
bring about prosecutions where
there has been Wrongdoing but
of a way to ferret out the much
larger group of persons who
have been engaged in unethical,
though lawful conduct.
Such an inquiry, if applied to
the whole Government, would
take months, if not years, to get
going. What is important to
the Democratic administration
is that something be done to
offset the bad impression being
.created daily by the headlines
and dispatches reporting the
testimony before the congres
sional investigating committees.
When Congress, through the
House Un-American Activities
Committee, exposed Commu
nism inside the Government,
Mr. Truman set up a loyalty
review board and departmental
loyalty boards in response to a
congressional mandate. He has
hinted that he has something
of the same kind of machinery
in mind with respect to recent
scandals.
But the Congress will have
something to say about all this
if the proposal is not satisfac
tory to public opinion. It would
not seem plausible for the Presi
dent to appoint a commission
with power to investigate the
White House itself, for instance,
nor does it seem likely that
such a commission would want
the job of examining all the ac
tivities of officials with access to
the White House and how they
have performed their duties.4
So, all in all, the proposed
commission will probably have
a limited task. The President
evidently has determined to
fight it out as if it were just
another political battle and to
point to the proposed board or
committee or commission as an
answer to those who feel that
the administration should do
something to clean house.
Mr. Truman is ready to pros
ecute any one who has been
guilty of law violation and he
is ready to fire any one proved
to be engaging in activities
outside the Government that are
of a compromising nature. But
he isn’t ready to fire political
associates just because of the
innuendoes contained in con
gressional testimony. Whether
he can get away with such an
attitude politically, and whether
he has taken the very course
that will insure headlines harm
ful to his party all through the
campaign months of 1952. re
mains to be seen. But that’s the
risk Mr. Truman has assumed.
(Reproduction Right* Reserved.)
Doris Fleeson:
'Progress Better Than Inaction'
Humphrey Ready to Assume Leadership in Compromise
On Congress Battle Over Racial Segregation and FEPC
Senator Hubert Humphrey of
Minnesota says he will be glad
to sit down with Representative
Brooks Hays of Arkansas and
try to make progress in the civil
rights Held during the congres
sional session starting next
month.
Senator Humphrey named
anti-lynching and poll tax legis
lation as areas in which he
believed he could reach a large
measure of agreement with
Representative Hays.
“Any agreement that we
reached would probably go too
far for some people and not
far enough for others." the
Senator conceded. "But prog
ress Is better than the inaction
of the last few years."
He emphasized also that any
limited agreement would leave
all parties free to make pro
nouncements on the things they
believed and the steps they
would not consent to take. This
indicates that he will not re
treat from his fight against
segregation and for a Fair Em
ployment Practices Commission
and that he does not expect
Representative Hays to retreat
from an opposite position.
Nonetheless, Senator Hum
phrey’s willingness to assume
some leadership in a step-by
step approach is the first real
administration response to over
tures made a long time ago by
Representative Hays and. before
him. by Senator Russell of
Georgia. As the author of the
controversial civil rights plank
in the 1948 Democratic plat
form which he helped largely to
put over in a floor fight, the
young Minnesotan is a key
figure and a symbol in the
South of Northern “domina
tion" of the Democratic Party.
Senator Humphrey said he
did not believe the party ought
to retreat as a party from the
civil rights goals set forth in
1948. He appears to feel sin
cerely, however, that congres
sional action is not only desir
able next year but possible.
He said that he had great re
spect for Representative Hays
and was entirely convinced of
his honor and sincerity.
It may be that President Tru
man. who is in an all-or
nothing mood with respect to
Congress, will prove cool to a
Humphrey-Hays compromise on
civil rights. His opposition or
even chilliness could probably
kill it; too many politicians in
and out of Congress have no
real convictions on the question
but prefer to leave it unresolved
so they need not be counted yea
or nay on an indelible roll-call.
The administration must face
up to the fact, however, that its
noble pronouncements In the
President’s civil rights message
and in the 1948 platform have
led in Congress only io action
hurtful to the cause they assert
they favor.
This action was the harden
ing of the cloture rule. This
was a major political triumph
for the astute Southerners. Sen
ators Russell and Byrd, who
sold it to the late Republican
minority leader. Mr. Wherry,
and in fact induced him to
sponsor it. Republicans smart
under the accusation that in
agreeing to It they betrayed the
historic position of their party,
but the charge is recognized as
true by those who understand
the practical operations of the
Senate.
The steady improvement In
the economic position of the
Negro has tended to reduce the
pressure for civil rights legisla
tion, which is one reason it is
not forthcoming. Some Demo
crats from industrial States say
frankly that so long as such
improvement persists, civil rights
legislation is important only as
a symbol of Intent. Any one
having knowledge of the opera
tions of United States foreign
policy knows, however, that civil
rights are a symbol of atomic
force as used by Communists
against America the world over.
%
Thomas L. Stokes: /
Important, Too, for the Nation
Truman Calls for Independent Probe of Scandals to Show
Majority of Government Workers Are Honest
The cross fire at President
Truman's first press conference
after his return to Washington,
which revolved about what his
Inquisitors bluntly called "the
tax scandals,” tended to sub
merge a point the President
made toward the end of that
session. It is important to lots
of earnest, honest, hard-work
ing people in Government whose
service to their country is sub
stantial, and whose rewards are
not large.
It is important, too, for the
Nation.
In referring to the creation of
some sort of independent in
vestigative agency or commis
sion, the President said he
wanted the whole situation
developed in order to show that
the great majority of Govern
ment workers are honest. He
does not want them to be
smeared.
Any one who has been long
about Washington and observed
the operations of Government
closely knows this to be true,
knows of the ability, loyalty,
and devotion to public service
that permeates the great ranks
■*f employes who carry on the
nultifold duties of a giant
and complex mechanism that
touches the lives of the people
‘in so many ways. As a citizen,
the long-time observer of Gov
ernment resents the broadsides
leveled at Government work
ers en masse when the few "bad
apples” are brought to light.
That does not touch the solid
base and bulwark of the Gov
ernment service.
This embraces the adminis
trators and technicians of one
kind and another and their
staffs and assistants who per
form their jobs in the various
departments and agencies,
through one administration
after another, without regard
to the political pull and tug in
the temporary crust above. They
are betrayed by the adven
turers and the flash-in-the-pan
operators as much as are the
people, themselves.
President Truman obviously,
k had this permanent foundation
^^of Government service in mind,
gf^when, in considering an investi
^^Bative commission, he thought
mWM Chairman Robert Ramspeck
jj|MfgH the Civil Service Commission
as a very helpful figure in the
task. The chairman, for many
years an able and highly re
spected member of Congress
from Georgia, has supervision,
so to speak, along with other
members of the commission, of
the host of civil service em
ployes. He knows of their role
in Government, their impor
tance to the proper functioning
of Government and the impor
tance of that to the Nation.
Recently, and more than once,
he has spoken out in their de
fense.
All of this naturally will come
within the purview of an inves
tigative commission or agency,
whether it includes Govern
ment representatives or is made
up entirely of persons outside
Government, which has been
urged as the wisest course by
some called on for advice by
the President, including Chair
man Ramspeck, himself.
The investigative agency will
have two functions:
1. To carry along the task of
congressional committees by a
careful and exhaustive inquiry
to find out any officials guilty of
questionable conduct and prac
tices and effect their elimina
tion from Government.
2. To show, as will be shown,
that the great body of Govern
ment employes are honest and
earnest public servants.
An investigation is necessary
in view of all that has happened
in recent weeks and months.
Public confidence in our Gov
ernment is essential from the
f
very nature of our Government.
Ours is a responsive Govern
ment, dependent on the confi
dence and co-operation of its
people, who are the ultimate
rulers. This confidence must
be maintained.
It can be shaken unless those
who have failed to live up to
their responsibilities are re
moved.
Our Government is far-flung
and intricate because of its size
and the duties imposed upon it.
It requires constant watchful
ness, and that, apparently, has
been lacking in some sectors
from what has developed, for
example, in the Justice Depart
ment. Scrutiny from the top
evidently needs tightening.
So, too, does a lax spirit of
political favoritism and of per
sonal friendships that have in
fluenced some appointments
and kept their holders in office
after they have been indiscreet.
It is in the ifealm of political
appointments that the errors
have come to light, and not all
by this administration, but some
from the Roosevelt administra
tion before it. Altogether Gov
ernment has taken on the at
mosphere of a family affair, too
much so, in its top levels.
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A college presidents’ group urges that no more football
“bowl” games be played. The way it is, they’re still playing
football weeks after the first college basketball game has been
sent to the grand jury.
• * * *
President Truman says he’s always acted quickly to oust
wrongdoers and will continue to do so. The President has fired
so many high officials for skulduggery that a fellow can hardly
keep track of them with the thumbs of both hands.
* * * *
Mike DiSalle begins his second year as the Nation’s, price
boss. Friends of the bereaved are requested to omit flowers.
* * * *
Internal Revenue Commissioner Dunlap orders tax collectors
not to take time off Government Jobs for outside business. At
all times, they’re expected to be within reach of a subpoena.
* * * *
Counsel DeWind of the House tax investigating committee gets
Charles Oliphant. resigned internal revenue counsel, to admit he
told a friend about secret tax cases. Oliphant Ls the newest cus
tomer of that best seller, "Gone With DeWind.”
* * • *
Democratic Senator O’Mahoney scoffs that some Republicans
only want Gen. Ike for President because they think he can win.
Democrats are more high-minded. Their last presidential can
didate ran with the distinct understanding he would be a good
loser,
* * • •
President Truman declares that "wrongdoers have no house
with me.” That’s probably why so many had to search out free
quarters in the RFC beach hotels.
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Constantine Brown:
Won't Yield to AnyT ruman Board
Senate and House Leaders Will Push Probe of Agency Scandals
• Regardless of Any Big Names in New Investigating Body
Congressional investigations
will take a short holiday but will
be resumed vigorously soon after
Congress reconvenes early in
January.
Senate and House leaders are
not in a mood to yield their
present probings to any com
mittee or board President Tru
man may appoint, regardless of
what distinguished names may
figure in them. They remem
ber the results of, for instance,
the Pearl Harbor investigation
headed by the distinguished
jurist, former Supreme Court
Justice Owefi J. Roberts.
They also recall that the
Chief Executive described the
investigation of Communists in
the Government as a red her
ring and that of the Pulbright
committee into the extra-cur
ricular activities of some RPC
officials as asinine. Thus, they
argue, whatever board Mr.
Truman may appoint will be
one responsible to him person
ally and it might be difficult
for him to change his previous
strong convictions now that so
many agencies of the Govern
ment are under fire.
The fear of another attempt
to whitewash is strong among
influential members of both
Houses. This is heightened by
the fact that the President has
refused to yield in full the files
requested by the Ways and
Means subcommittee headed
by' Representative Cecil King,
Democrat, of California, who is
investigating the misdeeds of
some of the top officials in the
Justice Department and Inter
nal Revenue Bureau.
It is the King committee
which holds the limelight to
day. Other investigations al
ready under way but suspended
during the recess and some
brand-new probings are expect
ed to develop soon after Jan
uary 8.
The investigations of the Mc
Carran subcommittee promise
spectacular developments. This
subcommittee has been active
since last summer probing sub
versive leanings inside and out
I
side the Government. It will
resume its hearings after Jan
uary 15 when some real head
liners will be jecalled to tes
tify. These are expected to
throw new light on the entire
problem of Communist infiltra
tion in the United States.
Senator John J. Williams. Re
publican. of Delaware, has
worked quietly and painstak
ingly on a number of income
tax evasions allegedly condoned
by some high officials. He has
a large bundle of documented
facts which he is now ready to
offer to the Senate and de
mand a full investigation. These
are said to involve no new mink
coats or pleasant, free vacations
in the sunny South but really
substantial profits to the per
sons involved. Some of these
profits are said to be so large
that the recipients will live
happily ever after, even if they
have to serve a term in jail with
time off for good behavior. The
Armed Services Committee has
already produced a number of
facts involving at least gross
negligence on the part of
administrative officials in han
dling public funds. For the time
being, only extravagance and
carelessness in administering the
taxpayers’ money have been
brought to light. But it ap
pears that more serious develop
ments can be expected after
Congress reconvenes.
There will be an attempt to,
hush up these disclosures, of
course, through pledges that
the past mistakes will not be
repeated. But the committee
members are not likely to be
appeased by such promises and
will insist that the guilty be
removed from their positions
and punished.
Congress feels that when the
Nation’s expenditures are as
high as they are today ex
travagance and carelessness, to
say nothing of favoritism, at the
expense of the taxpayer are as
much crimes as treason or in
competence in handling mili
tary operations. History-minded
Senators and Representatives
know that empires have crum
bled from within as often as
they have under the impact of
military defeats. As a matter of
fact, the latter has generally
been the effect of the former and
this was the sequel of dishon
esty, incompetence and malad
ministration of public trust.
Regardless of what board th«
Chief Executive may appoint u»
report on conditions revealed in
recent months by Congress and
regardless of what headliners he
may name to that boart, the
Senate and House will continue
their probing of the activities
of Government agencies.
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