Evening star., 1946-07-14
Clash En|ivens
DC. Hearing in
Primary Probe
Woman Clerk Calls
Senate Investigator
No Gentleman

A verbal battle between the Senate
Campaign Investigating Committee,
male investigator and its angry fe.
male clerk stole the show yesterday
at committee hearing which wa:
supposed to be concerned with thu
senatorial race in Montana
Mrs. Grace Johnson, blond com.
mittee clerk, said that Robert B
Barker, to whom she referred as only
"a temporary, acting" committee
employe, had been extremely rude
to her, and she threatened an in
vestiga ton of his activities as in
vestigator.
The fireworks started as commit
tee members were inquiring int
charges that they said they hae
heard that the committee was partia
to Senator Wheeler, Democrat O.
Montana.
Mr.. Barker, with the help of two
Washington detective sergeants, ha
been investigating some aspects O.
the campaign, in which Senator
Wheeler is opposed for denomination
by Left Erickson in Montana!
Democratic primary Tuesday.
Mr. Barker told the committee
that Mr.. Erickson had said he wa.
Informed. possibly by the commit
tee clerk, that the committee hac
hired Mr.. Barker at Senator Wheel.
er's instance.
Asks Source of Report.
He called Mrs johnson to the
stand to ask her if she had been ir
communication with Mr.. Erickson
and if she had told Washington
newspaper about the local detective.
assisting in the investigation
Mrs. johnson testified Indignantly
that she didn't know Mr.. Erickson
hadn't talked to him on the tele-
phone or otherwise, and hadn I
asked any one else to communicate
with him. She also denied giving
out any news.
Furthermore. Mrs. johnson sale
that Mr. Barker had been EEK.
tremely rude" to her and has not
been gentleman at all in the time
that he has been on the commit
tee"
She added that when Senator
Ellender Democrat of Louisiana
chairman of the committee. returns
from an overseas trip she will ask
him to investigate Mr.. Barker
treatment of her.
Yesterdays hearing was con-
Quoted by Senator johnson. Demo-
crat, of Colorado, as acting chair
man, and Senator Bridges, Republi-
can, of New Hampshire.
II intend to tell him. Senator
Ellender) fully about the disgrace
full and deplorable attack Mr.. Bar
ker has made on me this afternoon 81
she asserted and to see "the best
lawyer I can find.% -
Confirms Earlier Statement.
Still irate several hours later, Mrs
Johnson telephoned The Star last
night to say that Mr.. Barker is "only
a temporary. acting general counsel
employed only for the two weeks
July l through July 16."
She said Senator johnson had as
sured her that Mr. Barker would not
be employed any longer.
Senator johnson explained Mr.
Barker's employment a bit more
calmly. He said Mr.. Barker was
available only for the Montana in
vestigation, which the committee ex-
pected to complete by July 16. If II
should run few days which
he doubts-Mr. Barker will see ii
through, he added.
Mrs. johnson said Mr. Barker had
"squandered lot of money without
getting anywhere" in the Montana
investigation, and was trying to put
the blame on her because he ."acci-
dentally found out" that she used to
work for Senator Murray, Democrat
OF Montana, who has opposed Sena-
tor Wheeler's denomination.
Investigation Demanded.
Mr.. Barker's assertion that Mr.
Erickson had charged the committee
was "dominated' by Senator Wheel
r.prompted demand by Senator
Bridges for thorough investigation
Senator Johnson echoed similar
sentiments.
Mr.. Barker told the Senators that
at no time had he been given 1.-The
slightest intimation that this in
vestigation was to be slanted either
in favor of Mr. Erickson or Senator
Wheeler"
Detective Sergts. John B. Laytor
and George E. Cooper testified that
the investigation they helped con-
duct in Montana was carried or
impartially and without slanting fol
either candidate. and were com.
mended by Chairman johnson.
One of the subjects investigated
by Mr.. Barker and the detectives
was the origin of book entitled
PILOT Against America" which Mr.
Barker told the committee "smears'
both Senator Wheeler and "the
President of the United States
A copy OF the book. on the cover
OF which the authors name was
given as David George Kin, was
laid before the committee.
After reviewing the testimony al
ready taken at hearings he con-
Quoted in Montana. Mr.. Barker tolc
the committee he expects othel
witnesses to be in Washington
Tuesday in an effort to find out
who financed the book.
The investigation was begur
when Senator Wheeler complained
that vicious" literature was beins
circulated against him.
Tkk 1. n>.~ D..;. nff: