Evening star., 1939-01-27
Subcommittee
Named 10 Conduct
Hearings on Am|ie
johnson Of Colorado
Heads Group; 2 6. o. P.
Senators Picked
By the Associated Press,


A public hearing was ordered to-
day on President Roosevelt's ap-
pointment OF Thomas R. Amlie, Wis
consin Progressive, to the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
Chairman Wheeler of the Senate
Interstate Commerce Committee ap-
pointed subcommittee Of three
Democrats and two Republican Sen
ators to conduct the hearings.
This action was taken after the
full committee had discussed the
Amlie appointment at a closed ses-
sion lasting an hour. It followed by
a day adoption by the Wisconsin
Legislature of a resolution calling
Mr.. Amlie Communist and pro-
testing the appointment.
Mr.. Roosevelt himself would not
comment on the Legislatures reso-
luton. In response to a question the
President said he had not been asked
for an interview on the Amlie ap-
pointment by Wisconsin Demo-
cratic faction.
johnson Is Chairman.
Senator Johnson, Democrat, of
Colorado, chairman of the subcom-
mlttee named by Senator Wheeler
said he would arrange hearings as
soon as persons who wish to testify
had gotten in touch with him. Other
Senators on the Amlie committee
included Schwartz, Democrat, of
Wyoming; Hill, Democrat, of Ala
bama; Austin, Republican, of Ver-
mont and Reed, Republican, OF
Kansas.
Clerks of the Interstate Commerce
Committee said they had received
several requests from persons who
wished to testify against Mr.. Amlie
but that these could not be made
public until the subcommittee acts
on them.
The Senate Interstate Commerce
Committee, meanwhile, approved
four other presidential appoint
ments without hearing.
They were Robert E. Freer of Ohio
reappointed as a Federal Trade
Commissioner for a term ending
September 26, 1915; M. Roland Reed
of Pennsylvania, now a member OF
the Railroad Retirement Board
under a recess appointment, to serve
until August 20, 1913; Norman S
Case of Rhode Island, reappointed
to the Federal Communications
Commission until July l, 1945, and
George A. Cook of Illinois, reap
pointed to the National Mediation
Board until February /, 1912.
Close Vote Seen.
Anti administration Senators, who
were among those demanding the
subcommittee hearing, said the
Amlie appointment, If approved at
all, would get through the Senate
by only narrow margin.
Senator Burke, Democrat, of Ne
braska, said:
We're going to make a real fight
on Amlie on the ground that he
lacks qualification to serve. He has
never done anything which would
qualify him for the job. Why the
President turned down a man like
Meyer for Amlie is more than can
understand"
(The appointment was to fill
the place of Balthasar Meyer,
dean Of the I. c. c., whose term
expired December 3D.
La Toilette Praises Him.
Senator La Toilette, Progressive
of Wisconsin, long a political asso-
ciate of Mr.. Amlie, called him fully
capable" and added:
"He is thorough student of the
problems he would be called upon to
consider as member of the I. G. c.
Senator La Toilette denied that
Mr.. Amlie was a Communist. That
term was applied to him by the
Wisconsin Legislature.
La Toilette Impeachment Urged.
MADISON, Wis, Jan. ~ R.-
Assemblyman Maurice Fitzsimons,
Democrat, Of Fond Du Lac, sug-
gested to the State Assembly today
that ut might be well to introduce
resolution looking toward the i'm
peachment" Of Senator Robert M.
La Toilette, Progressive, of Wis
conSin.
Mr.. Fitzsimons criticized Wis
consin's senior Senator for a state
ment he said Mr.. La Toilette made
in Washington yesterday. He quoted
the Senator as saying in connection
with the nomination of Thomas r.
Amlie to the Interstate Commerce
Commission:
Nothing the Wisconsin Legisla-
ture does would surprise me. It
will not alter my stand In support
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