Evening star., 1946-02-17
New PouIey Case B|ost by Ickes
Charges Truman Controdicted
Self, Made Untrue Statement
Says He Would Dare
To Dispute Integrity
If Occasion Demands
Tert OF Ickes Statement on Page As.
BY the Assoeiotsd Press

night that President Truman
had contradicted himself in
news conference references to
the Edwin w. Pauley nomination
and that one of the Presidents
statements "is not true"
He added th9t II would dare to
dispute the ir segrity of the Presi-
dent on any occasion that my coun-
try's welfare demanded it."
Striking back at Mr.. Truman's
news conference statement Friday
that the former Secretary of In
terror would not dare to question
his integrity, Mr.. Ickes said the
Presidents "own record, made in
his last two press conferences, con-
stituted clear proof of the weight
that should be given to his utter
ances."
Hearings Resume Tomorrow.
Mr.. Ickes issued his statement as
the Senate Naval Affairs Commit
tee prepared to resume hearings to-
morrow on the nomination of Mr..
Pauley to be undersecretary of the
Navy.
"A week ago Thursday" Mr..
Ickes' statement said, after I had
testified before the Naval Affairs
Committee on Mr.. Pauley's nomina-
ton he told his press conference
that I had not consulted him before
my appearance with respect to
Pauley.
Friday" the statement con-
tinued, ''he acknowledged under
questioning that ne had told me to
be kind to him Pauley). There is
no way these two statements can
be reconciled. One of them is not
true"
M. 1ckes had suggested when he
resigned from the cabinet last week
that an investigation ought to be
made by the Attorney Generals Of
flee of Mr.. Pauley's statement, un-
der oath before the committee, that
he had not taken part in attempts
to influence Government officials to
abandon efforts to establish Federal
title to off shore ocean oil lands.
"Incitement to Perjury"
'TInote," Mr.. Ickes said, "that the
President feels there is no neces-
sity for the Justice Department to
investigate to ascertain whether Mr..
Pauley' perjured himself, on the
grounds that there is no need to call
in the Justice Department to ascer-
tain the truth in political argu-
ment.
'"This, to my mind, constitutes an
open incitement to perjury. Every
ward-heeler in the land, If the Ma
ton accepts such counsel can now
claim immunity for all of his sins,
whatever they may be, on the
grounds that those who challenge
his acts, their honesty, or their
worth, are just engaging in a po-
litical argument"
Mr.. Ickes said that by his cri-
terion, former Secretary of Interior
Albert B. Fall, who was involved in
the Teapot Dome oil scandal. and
others would never have suffered
any curb on their activities"
The former cabinet member also
said he did not believe, as Mr.. Tru-
man said at Fridays news confer
ence, that President Roosevelt had
intended to appoint Mr.. Pauley for
the Navy undersecretaryship.
Not Roosevelt Nominee.
"The fact is," Mr.. Ickes declared,
"that President Roosevelt did not
appoint Pauley to the Navy De-
partment."
He had not talked with the late
President, Mr.. Ickes said, about the
improper proposal" he contended
Mr.. Pauley had made to him on
September 4, 1914. At that time,
Mr.. Ickes has said, Mr.. Pauley, then
Democratic National Committee
treasurer, suggested that 100000 in
campaign funds could be raised
from interested Oil men if the Cove
ernment would not push its claim
for title 10 the tidelands area
Certainly" the former cabinet
member said, "I would have gone to
President, Roosevelt with my objec-
tions to Mr.. Pauley if there had
been any danger of his making the
mistake that President Truman per-
sists in. I do not believe that Pres