Evening star., 1944-11-30
President Removes
Littell, BiddIe Aide,
For 'Insubordinution'
Conduct in Dispute
With AttorneyG
Called 'InexcusobIe'
By the Associated Press.

os ttic AssOCidteQ EIess.
The Justice Department an
nounced today that President
Roosevelt has removed Assistant
Attorney General Norman Littell
from office.
The move climaxed a bitter feud,
during which Mr.. Littell had ac-
cused Attorney General Biddle of
interfering in one Justice Depart
ment case on behalf of Thomas G.
Tommy the Cork Corcoran, for
mer New Deal braintruster.
Whether this Biddle knockout,
scored with White House help, ends
the battle entirely is problematical.
There remains some talk of a Senate
Mr.. Littell, receiving reporters
shortly after his dismissal, asserted
the situation had prevented ap-
pointment of "a Tommy Corcoran
henchman as his successor
In a separate statement issued
after his news conference, the As
year-old former head of the Justice
Land Division said, 7
can understand perfectly the Presi-
dents action. AS Commander IN
Chief in time of war and as Presi-
dent Of the United States, he can
not possibly go into the details OF
a matter like this"
Presidents Statement.
The President announced dismiss
sal of Mr.. Littell in the following
statement, made public at the JUS
tice Department:
When statements made by Nor.
man Littell first appeared in the
papers I wrote to him that it was
primarily an executive matter and
that I hoped for his own career he
would resign.
Since then he has volunteered a
long statement, thus substantiating
what the Attorney General had said
about his INSTRUMENTATION.
This is inexcusable; and under
these circumstances my only alter
native is to remove him from Office,
which I have done today"
Biddles Statement.
Attorney General Biddle stimuli
taneously issued the following state
ment:
Il have read Norman Littell's
statement filed with the Mead Com
mlttee (Senate War Investigating
Committee) before the committee
had determined whether or not it
should hold any investigation.
i do not propose to discuss Mr..
Littell's reckless and unfounded
statements, or to enter into any
controversy with him in the public
press. -.
"As the head of the Department
of Justice must take responsibility
for its operation, and will not toll
crate such serious disloyalty or in
subordination from any member Of
the department even If he thinks
that it is his public duty to remain
in office after he has been asked to
resign.
las I wrote to Senator Mead on
November 27, asked Mr.. Littell to
resign because for some time our re-
lationship had been such that 1 no
longer reposed in him the kind of
confidence that was essential for the
best interests of the Department Of
Justice, and I thought under these
circumstances he would prefer to re-
sign.
Objection to Testimony Denied.
Il added that I had never OBJ.
jected to Mr.. Littell's testifying be-
fore the Mead Committee or any
other committee of the Con kress;
and that the action 1 have taken
was in no way connected with any
testimony that he had given
In the prepared statement dis.
tributed at his news tconference
Mr.. Litteu said:
I'm regard to the statement which
the Attorney General has Just issued
it is unnecessary for me to say that
his use of adjectives regarding nv
statements to the Mead Committee,
such as reckless and unfounded'
do not answer facts. I have stated
the facts. am wholly satisfied
with the public service which I
have rendered in this matter and
a complete victory for good govern
ment has been won.
To state only one consequence,
the planned appointment OF my
successor in this great division OF
the Department of Justice will not
now be Tommy Corcoran hench-
(See FEUD, Page A-3D