Evening star., 1945-04-20
Senate Confirmation
OF Matthews Seen
For District Post
BY DON S. WARREN.

Mu., lOIHeTly maryland legislator
and now an employe of the Internal
Revenue Bureau, today was within
sight of Senate confirmation as
United States marshal for the Dis
trict despite protests by the Demo-
cratic Central Committee here that
District jobs should be awarded to
bona flde District residents.
A subcommittee of the Senate Ju-
dietary Committee late yesterday
unanimously Endorsed the nomina-
ton of Mr.. Matthews for the post,
following a hearing conducted by
Senator Hatch, Democrat, of New
Mexico, subcommittee chairman.
The full Judiciary Committee is ex-
pected to act Monday and observers
are predicting favorable Senate &C
ton shortly thereafter.
Kelvin D. Hildreth, acting for the
Democratic Central Committee for
the District, waged the losing battle
for District jobs for District resi-
dents" His group, he said, had no
objection to Mr.. Matthews-except
that he was not from Washington.
Campaign Pledges.
Repeatedly since 1856, Mr. Hill
dreth recounted, the Democratic
party, in national convention, had
adopted campaign platforms pledg-
ing itself to recognize the principle
that local jobs should be left to local
residents. The District, he recalled,
was specifically mentioned in those
home rule" declarations for the ter
ritories and the States. This was
done, he said, no less than 10 times
In the past so years.
This principle was adopted over
q period of so years by the Demo-
cratic party" he said, land the
pledges were made In good faith
They are pledges which should be
kept" With nearly LOCO, 900 persons
residing in the District, population
greater than that of II States, he
added. I'VE believe we have among
our people persons Of sufficient tai
ent to fill the position of marshal" !"
To point up his argument. he told
the Hatch Subcommittee Suppose
District of Columbia resident were
named to be marshal for Baltimore.
Just imagine the protests that would
come from Baltimore"
Then came the response. It was
both sympathetic and gracious, but
positive.
Witnesses Heard.
One of the witnesses supporting
Mr.. Matthews was A. Dewitt Vaneck,
special assistant to Attorney Gen.
eral Biddle. The Attorney General,
he said, had considered "all candi-
dates" for the post and had mo p,,r-
pose" in going out of the District,
| "but unfortunately it was found
none from the District was quail
fed"
Senators Tydings and Radcliffe,
Maryland Democrats, both praised
the qualities of Mr.. Matthews.
The anticipated climax was
reached when Senator Hatch ex-
pressed sympathy with the views of
Mr.. Hildreth because I once lived
in territory, myself" Cmeaning
New Mexico, before it was admitted
to the Union). However, under the
Constitution, Senator Hatch ex-
planned, it is the duty of the Presi-
dent to nominate a man for Office
"and have always taken the posi-
ton the Presidents selection should
be confirmed when there is nothing
found against the character or abil-
ity of the nominee"
Senator Hatch told Mr.. Hildreth
that next time they should "go
and see" the President about WASH
ington positions before the appoint
mentS were made.
The Hatch Subcommittee also or
dered favorable report on the re-
appointment of Bernard J. Flynn as
United States attorney for Mary
land. The only opposition came from
James j. Laughlin, one of the de-
tense attorneys in the mass sedi-
tion trial here, who was tried and
acquitted of obstructing justice in a
case growing out of a Hyattsville
bank robbery.