Evening star., 1946-03-09
Pau|ey Battle Heads
For Another Round
OF Bitter Hearings
By J. A. O'Leory
By J. A. O'Leory

The battle over Edwin w. Pau
ley's nomination to be Under
secretary of the Navy is headed
for another round of bitter hear
ingS next week unless opposing
sides succeed in the meantime ir
reviving withdrawal plans.
A session which began yesterday
morning with well-founded reports
that Mr.. Pauley was about to with
draw, ended late in the day with
Senate Naval Affairs Committee
members heatedly debating new is
sues just raised by Senator Brew
ster, Republican, of Maine.
Mr.. Pauley, who had just finished
reading comprehensive answer to
all the arguments heretofore raised
against his confirmation, told re-
porters he would stay ''as long as
they keep bringing up these charges
for six months, if necessary.
The new questions raised by Sen
ator Brewster related to some To-
year-old oil company litigation ir
California, and Mr.. Pauley asked
for time, not only TO examine the
new exhibits. but to bring more
witnesses from California if nee
essary to testify regarding them.
Recesses Until Tuesday.
The committee finally recessed
until 2:30 pm. Tuesday, with mem
bers expressing no definite knowl.
edge as to whether the nomination
would be withdrawn next week, OF
go on to finish fight Mr.. Pauley
told reporters late in the day:
Il will stay here as long as they
keep bringing up these charges.
will stay as long as six months if
have to, to refute these charges
Then and then only will I consider
Withdrawing. Then and then only
can the committe fairly decide thi,
matter"
Senate Democrats are divided ovel
the appointment, and influentia
party strategists at the Capitol have
been hoping an arrangement coule
be made to enable Mr.. Pauley ts
step aside in the interest of party
harmony, with at least the Demo.
Gratis, who constitute a majority OF
the committee, giving him a vote oi
confidence. They have not aban.
doned hope for this eventual solu-
ton.
Republicans, on the other hand
have nothing to lose from a con-
tinuation of controversy which has
split the opposition ranks.
Hour to Hour" Basis.
One committee member said pri-
vately today that, while there is nc
certainty now of early withdrawal
OF the nomination, he described the
situation as being on IAN hour-to-
hour" basis, implying there may be
further negotiations over the week
end.
The main charge against the
nominee is the testimony of former
Secretary Ickes that Mr.. Pauley
while treasurer of the Democratic
National Committee, told him on
September 6, 1914, that $300,O0C
could be raised in campaign contri-
buttons from oil men if the Govern
ment did not press its suit to gain
Federal title to oil tidelands.
After Mr.. Pauley had again de-
MED this charge yesterday, he asked
the committee to analyze the mem
orandum Mr.. Ickes said he made
shortly after the September 6 con-
ference. Mr.. Pauley said the former
cabinet member devoted less than
5 lines of the memo to the presence
that day of Chairman Hannegan oi
the Democratic National Commit
tee, and Paul Porter, then publicity
director of the committee. Mr.
Pauley said Mr. Ickes then devoted
a page and half of notes to his
alleged discussion of the tidelands
suit and campaign contributions.
Says Ickes Changed Tense.
Mr.. Pauley asked the Senators
If they noticed a change of tense
in the Ickes memorandum. The
nominee said it was all in the pas
tense except the last sentence, ir
which, the witness said, Mr.. Ickes
used the present tense to describe
the conversation as "the rawest
proposition" ever made to him.
Mr.. Pauley also read to the com.
mittee yesterday afternoon many
letters from prominent men, in.
dorsing his appointment. Some o1
these had previously been made
public and included messages from
Gen. Macarthur, Gen. Mark w
Clark, Maj. Gen. C. A. Willoughby
and Robert G. Sproul, president ol
the University of California.
Mr. Pauley who had SDoken ir