Evening star., 1944-11-28
Public Barred
|AtFCCProbe;;
|Sirica Resigns
Committee Counsel
Charges Whitewosh
In Sole of WMCA
BY the Associated Press.

.
The House committee investi-
eating the Federal Communica-
tions Commission voted today to
close the hearings to the public,
and Committee Counsel John ].
Sirica Immediately rendered his
resignation.
The committees decision, an
nounced by Chairman Lea at the
start of today's hearing, brought
from Representative Wigglesworth,
Republican, of Massachusetts, the
assertion that the vote to terminate
the public hearings at this time
may we'll create national scam
dal."
Mr.. Wigglesworth voted with the
minority.
In the course OF it's Investigation
the committee has been inquiring
into the sale of Radio Station
WMCA, New York, to Edward j.
Noble, former Undersecretary OF
Commerce.
Won't Submit to "Whitewash."
Witnesses have charged that
Donald Flamm sold the station un-
der "duress."
Mr.. Sirica, who said he took the
position as committee counsel "at
great sacrifice" to himself, asserted:
There is great public interest
in this case. I don't want it on my
conscience that I submitted to
whitewash. Therefore, l am ten
derine my resignation, effective
Immediately.
1t was recalled that Eugene l..
Carey, who preceded Mr.. Sirica as
committee counsel, also charged a
"whitewash'' when he rendered his
resignation last February. At that
time the committee was investigat-
ing the sale of Station WMCA and
Mr.. Carey charged Chairman Lea
with converting the investigation to
a sheer whitewashing affair
Mr.. Wigglesworth, in statement,
declared:
How any one who has listened to
the testimony during the last three
days can vote to- close these
hearings to the public at this time
is beyond my comprehension. *.'
Ever since the start of this in
vestigation, this committee and its
staff has met with constant obstruc-
ton, intimidation and underhand
tactics from those in high places in
the attempt to hamstring its work
and to suppress the truth"
! Hart Denies Suppression.
Representative Hart, Democrat, OF
New Jersey. another COMMITTEES
member, responded that all talk o.
intimidation of this committee il
without foundation: all talk of sup.
preston of fact is entirely withou
Ifounda ton"
Mr.. Hart added that every item
of interest pertinent to the inquiry
will be made public at the proper
time"
This is not grand jury" he
said. 1T is an investigation lin
tied to certain objective, and I
think that objective can best be
obtained by conducting closed
hearings"
After Mr.. Sirica rendered his
resignation today, Philip Handel
mann, Mr.. Flamm's attorney, rose
to protest the committees action,
IUut was led from the hearing room
by a policeman. AS he left Mr..
Handlemann shouted:
Il want the record to show that
was forcibly evicted. I am not
under your jurisdiction, l am q
taxpayer. I pay your salaries"
A few minutes later he returned
and took seat at the rear of the
room.
Resold for S1,255, 900.
In its investigation, the commit
tee has dealt specifically with the
WMCA sale, consummated in 1910.
Mr.. Noble, who paid Mr.. Flamm
$3.50, 900 for the property, later sold
| it to Nathan Strauss, New York
City financier, for 81 .225 900.
Leslie Edward Roberts, former
public relations counsel for WMCA,
told the committee Mr.. Flamm
agreed to the sale only after he had
been subjected to campaign of
terror"
Mr.. Roberts testified he was told
that unless he sold, the FEC would
take away his license and assign his
frequency elsewhere"
| Mr.. Roberts, who freely acknowl-
edged a part in what he termed the
conspiracy to force Mr.. Flamm,
also named as participant Donald
S. Shaw, former general manager
of WMCA. Mr.. Shaw denied the
Roberts charges as utterly false
and without foundation"
Mr. Roberts said he and Mr.. Shaw
told Mr.. Noble that the only way
to get Mr.. Flamm to sell was ito
scare him."
Noble Calls Accusations Absurd.
Mr.. Noble, who appeared only
briefly on the stand, told newsmen
after his appearance that the Rob-
erts accusations were absurd and
without foundation.
Mr. Wigglesworth told the COM
mittee that every time the attempt
has been made to take this case up,
tremendous pressure has been
brought to bear from administra-