Evening star., 1946-11-16
Senator'S Order
.bilbo Hearings
In Mississippi
Public Sessions Begin
At Jackson Dec. z
On RoeioI Charges


penditures Committee voted
unanimously today to hold pub
lie hearings beginning December
2 at Jackson, Miss, on complaints
that Senator Bilbo, Democrat,
encouraged discrimination
against Negroes in the Missis-
sippi primary last summer.
The committee chairman, Sena-
tor Ellender, Democrat, Of Louis
lana, announced that testimony will
be taken only from Mississippi resi-
dents. Senator Bilbo himself will
be invited to appear before the COM
mittee and to suggest other wit
nesses in his behalf.
Testimony of witnesses, either for
or against Senator Bilbo, will be lin
tied to charges of racial discrimina-
ton as contended in formal resolu.
tion which the committee Is prepar.
ing. Senator Ellender explained.
Campaign Speeches Cited.
These charges were based princi.
paly on complaints which the Civil
Rights Congress and the National
Negro Council filed with the COM
mittee some time ago. The Civil
Rights Congress presented excerpts
from speeches last summer in which
Senator Bilbo repeatedly attacked
colored people and called on Missis-
sippi voters to prevent them from
voting.
Milton Kaufman, chairman of the
Civil Rights Congress; Emanuel
Bloch, the organizations counsel,
and Edgar G. Brown, director of the
National Negro Council, were at the
Senate Office Building during the
21z hour closed session. They pre-
lsented formal demands for public
hearings.
Before the committee met, there
had been strong indications that the
Democrats favored airing the charges
in open hearings before the end of
the year in view of the fact the
Republicans are seriously consider
ing challenging Senator Bilbo's right
to take his seat when the Senate
conyenes January 8.
Brief Hearing Effected
| The hearings in Mississippi should
last not more than a week or 10
days and may be shifted from Jack
EsOn to Grenada and Hattiesburg for
the convenience Of witnesses, Senator
Enender said.
& This arrangement viii be solely
4 on geographical grounds because thu
cities are IN the central, northern
> and southern parts of the State
Senator Ellender also explained tn,
, hearings will be restricted to oeiectio1
events Of 1916 in accordance Will
, the committees authority. !.
This means, he said, that tn,
hearings will not 60 into otlael
lcnmplaints such as those involving
4 alleged financial transactions be.
tween Senator. Bilbo and war con-
i tractors in Mississippi during the
war. The latter complaints are
! under Investigation by the Senats
4 War Investigating Committee. which
may decide next week whether to
i hold hearings.
i Senator Bilbo, who is 50, went to q
i New Orleans hospital recently for
4 treatment of mouth ailment and
there have been frequent reports
that his physical condition might
/ prevent his return for the OPEN
ing of the Eightieth Congress.
Since leaving the hospital he was in
jured slightly in an automobile ac-
cident near his home in Popularville.
4 Miss.
If the Mississippian is not here on
January 8, 1t would delay any Re-
publican move against seating him,
since the motion would have to be
made when he Is about to be
sworn in.
Chairman Taft of the Senate Re-
publican Steering Committee re-
vealed last night that opposition to
seating Senator Biibo has been re-
lferred for study to Senators Bridges,
Republican, of New Hampshire and
Hickenlooper, Republican, of Iowa.
Both are members of the Campaign
Committee.
Senator Taft also announced that
Senator. Millikin, Republican, OF
Colorado. has been assigned to
study the procedure that would
have to be followed If it is decided
to ask Senator Bilbo to stand aside
(See RTT no pace A-ol