Evening star., 1946-12-31
Senate Probers
Clear BiIbo Of
Racial Charges
Members Split, 81;
Report on Contract
Inquiry Due Soon
By Robert K. WoIsh

Oy NODSIt n. VoISH
BY vote of three Democrats
to two Republicans the Senate
Campaign Investigating Com
mittee decided today to recon-
mend to the Senate that Senator
Bilbo, Democrat, of Mississippi
should not be denied his seat
because of charges that he pre-
vented colored persons from vot-
ing in the Democratic primary
last summer.
Chairman Ellender made the an
after two-hour closed
session. He said the formal major
ity and minority reports have not
been written, but will be filed with
the Senate when the new Congress
convenes Friday.
Senators Bridges, Of New Hamp-
shire, and Hickenlooper, of Iowa,
committee members.
said they will not disclose their views
until the minority report is filed.
But they asserted they do not agree
with the Democratic majority,
Chairman Ellender and Senators
Thomas of Oklahoma and Maybank
of South Carolina.
Senator Ellender, refusing to dis
cuss the extent of disagreement be-
tween majority and minority COM
mittee members said, however:
The sum and substance of the
majority view is that there have not
been sufficient facts developed at
the hearings to form the basis of an
custer motion against Senator
Bilbo."
To Continue Maryland Probe.
The chairman was referring to
public hearings held early this
month in Jackson, Miss, on COM
plants that Senator Bilbo made
speeches which melted racial dis
elimination and called on the peo-
pie to prevent Negroes from taking
part in the Democratic primary.
In another decision today, the
committee prepared to carry on its
investigation of the Maryland SEN
atorial election contest in which
Gov. Herbert r. O'Conor, Democrat,
defeated D. John Markey, Repub-
lican, by about 1000 votes.
Chairman Ellender said, There
is no question about Gov. O'Conor
being seated as Senator next Fri
day." He added that as things
stand now the only development
which might prevent the seating OF
Senator ELECT O'Conor would be q
disclosure of fraud of the worst
kind"
Investigators Now Working.
He indicated that the COMMITTEES
has not discovered such fraud but,
on the other hand, has not gone
as deeply as it intended into charges
bv Mr.. Markey that few ballot
boxes contained Irregularities. An
other aspect which the COMMITTEES
wants to examine more closely, ne
said. is Mr.. Markey's complaint that
Gov. O'Conor received campaign
contributions from several war con-
tractors but did not report them as
campaign contributions.
The committee investigators are
working in Maryland now, and they
will be reinforced by other commit
tee staff members, Chairman Ell
lender said. The investigation Will
be finished as soon as possible, but
this depends to a great extent on
the cooperation which the investi-
gators receive and also on the scope
of the ballot counting which may
be necessary, he explained.
Today's committee session, the
chairman declared, was harmonious,
despite the inability of the Demo-
cratic and Republican members to
see eye to eye on the evidence OF
Senator Bilbo's activities in the
Mississippi Democratic primary
campaign.
Fully Supports Seating Of Bilbo.
When he was asked if he favored
the seating of Senator Bilbo, Chair
man Ellender replied, "Unquestion-
ably" He added, however, that he
was speaking only from the stand
point of the election which his COM
mittee investigated. He said he was
not too familiar with testimony
taken by the Senate War Investigat-
ing Committee this month con-
corning Senator Bilbo's dealings
with war contractors
The War Investigating Commit
tee announced that its report on
Senator Bilbo will be issued Thurs
day. A majority of the committee
has approved the report, which has
been described as very tough"
When the new Senate convenes,
Chairman Ellender will introduce a
resolution to extend the life of the
Campaign Expenditures Committee
to March 81, he announced.
He also said the committee has
decided to make no further investi-
CATION of a Tennessee election CAM
paign which was aimed against Sem
ator McKellar, Democrat. He said
the investigation to date has not
brought out sufficient facts to war
rant a further investigation.
After today's meeting Chairman
EllenQer engaged III HedGeQ olS-
cussion with Edgar G. Brown, exec
utive director of the National Asso-
citation for the Advancement OF
Colored People, who had been wait
ing outside the committee room.
Mr.. Brown accused Senator Ell
lender of being biased in his support
Of Senator Bilbos views on colored
people. Senator Ellender retorted
that perhaps his judgment was
biased on this question, but $50 Is
yours" The Senator asserted that
Southern people are the best friends
of the Negro and that Mr.. Brown
did not understand the local and
political situations in Mississippi or
other Southern States.