Evening star., 1944-09-19
COP Fight on Shepard
Brings Warning on
Mason Nomination
Republican Senators
Protest 'RoiIroodine'
Of Cleric as Recorder.
BY DON S. WARREN.

Senate Republican protests over
the 'railroading" of the nomination
of the Rev. Marshall L. Shepard,
Philadelphia clergyman, to be Wash
ington's next recorder of deeds,
developed today into warning to
District Committee Chairman Bilbo
not to permit similar action as to the
nomination of Commissioner Guy
Mason for another term.
The Senate at the end Of its ses-
sion today was expected to muster
enough Democratic votes to confirm
the selection of the Philadelphian
as recorder, though Republicans said
they would 60 through with their
demands for recommitment of the
nomination.
Contending that the $1,000 Job
should go to colored resident of
the District, Republicans have pro-
tested that favorable report was
rushed out of the District Commit
tee without a meeting and with
Chairman Bilbo casting proxy votes
for seven Democratic members.
Bilbo in Mississippi.
Chairman Bilbo, who is in Mis-
sissippi recuperating from a major
operation, announced shortly after
President Roosevelt submitted the
nomination of Commissioner Mason
for another term that no action
would be taken until after the No.
vember elections, when he will re-
turn to Washington.
But, taken by surprise" by the
action of the Democratic majority
as to the Shepard nomination, Re-
publican Senators Burton of Ohio,
Capper of Kansas, Bridges of New
Hampshire and Bushfield of South
Dakota today signed formal no.
tice to Chairman Bilbo regarding
the Mason nomination.
They demanded that before any
action Is taken there be held a
regularly called meeting of the Dis
trict Committee, referring to the
fact that custer of Commissioner
Mason was demanded nearly year
ago in the report of three Repub-
licans who Investigated conditions
at Gallinger Hospital. That report
brought challenges from many
sources.
McCarran Endorsed Report.
In their letter to Chairman Bilbo,
the four Republican members today
declared:
Your attention is respectfully
i,1uifo1 fn tho thof ~ No{@
1943, subcommittee of the Senate
District Committee consisting of
Senators Holman, Buck and Bush
field, following an investigation of
conditions at Gallinger Hospital,
recommended the immediate re-
moval of Commissioner Mason from
Office.
Senator McCarran, then chair
man of the Senate District Commit
tee, strongly Endorsed the findings
of this subcommittee and all of its
recommendations The report was
reviewed in detail in one or more
meetings of the full committee. It's
findings were approved and certain
OF its recommendations were rec
commended, while action on others,
including that of the removal of
Commissioner Mason, was postponed,
but not disapproved.
AT that time it was pointed out
that the committee would shortly
have an opportunity to take action
on Commissioner Mason's reappoint-
ment, when his three-year term ex-
pired, if he was renominated for
the office.
Hearings Requested.
"Under these circumstances, the
undersigned feel that the nomina-
ton of Commissioner Mason should
be considered fully by the committee
in regularly called meeting and
that in justice to the people of the
District, Commissioner Mason and
the subcommittee of this commit
tee, consideration should be given
to the holding of hearings on his
nomination.
The undersigned especially re-
quest that no recommendation as to
this nomination be filed with the
Senate as a result of polling the
committee or otherwise acting on
behalf of the committee without a
meeting of it."
At the same time, the four Re-
publicans dispatched to Chairman
Bilbo a formal protest over the
manner in which the Shepard nom
ination was reported from the Dis
trict Committee, and making a