Evening star., 1946-12-03
6. 0. P. Plan 10 Give
Report on U. 5. Zone
Widens Capitol Split
BY the Associated Press

't0SsS SASuS ASsH
BY the Associated Press
A Republican decision to max
public a staff Investigators conf
e dental" report on conditions in tn
American occupation zone of Ger
many today widened an alread
gaping party-line split in the Sen
ate War Investigating Committee.
Chairman Kilgore criticized tn
decision of the four COP com
mittee members-Senators Brewste
of Maine, Ball of Minnesota, Fergu
son of Michigan and Knowland O
California. He declared it is not
committee report. but one by com
mittee employe, and is based II
part on "hearsay evidence"
In addition, Senator Kilgore real
reporters a letter from Secretary o
War Patterson expressing the Wa
Department opposition to releas
of the report.
LAS written" Senator Kilgor
quoted Mr.. Patterson as saying, "thi
report gives distorted and fire.
quently erroneous picture of th'
military government in Germany.
Hearsay Evidence Charged.
From information available i
appears that the subject matter o
the report is based upon unsworr
statements and in many cases upor
hearsay evidence"
Despite the uproar, Senator Kill
gore told reporters he has not thu
slightest intention of resigning the
Craftsmanship of the committee
Senator Kilgore is due to be dis.
placed by Senator Brewster. how.
ever, when Republicans take ovel
majority control of the Senate next
month.
The report in question was made
by. Committee Counsel George
Meader after trip to Germany
Purported extracts have been pub
lished in several quarters. The Re-
publicans' principal argument fol
release of the entire report was un.
derstood to be that inaccurate I'M
presSions have been produced by
the piecemeal leaks. On that pre-
mise, they gave copies to reporters
yesterday with the stipulation. that
they could be made public tomor-
row.
Kilgore Denies Sources of Report.
Senator Kilgore said he did not
know how portions of the report had
become available earlier to certain
favored members of the press"
Published accounts have declared
the report contains charges of wide
spread misconduct by occupation
troops, by Negro soldiers and Ger
man women; of very high venereal
disease rates; of low quality re-
placement troops; of an influx of
large numbers of Jewish refugees
into the American zone; and of the
refusal of many thousands of dis
placed persons to be repatriated
from the American zone, where
their care is being paid for by
United States taxpayers
Plans for hearings in Europe by a
subcommittee were well advanced
before the open appearance of OPP
position from the War and State
Departments which finally resulted
in cancellation of the inquiry.
Republicans Demanded Release.
When the matter finally came
down to a committee vote last week
the excursion was rejected, 6 to 4
The Democratic majority voted
solidly against it. The State and
War Departments had made it
known they considered the inves-
tigation ill-advised at this time in
view of the peace negotiations under
way in New York.
The Republicans, who meanwhile
had won the election, were sharply
critical of the majority's decision
and began demanding release o1
the Meader report.
Senator Kilgore said committee
member approached him on the mat
ter last Friday, but that he refused
to sanction publication of the re-
port without the approval OF the
WflOle COulUllUCSc.
The four Republican members de.
cided to go ahead regardless. Along
with copies of the report, they gave
reporters transcripts of four closee
committee sessions on the investi-
cation.
KiIgore Calls Conference.
Senator Kilgore heard of theil
decision almost Immediately anc
summoned news conference at hi.
Office. It was there that he made
public Mr.. Patterson's letter of dis.
approval.
He also handed out copies of s
letter he wrote yesterday to all com
mittee members, Summoning them tt
a meeting Friday to discuss tn.
request for release of the report
Admittedly, the Republican decision
to make it public made the question
moot, and Senator Kilgore conceded
he might find himself conferrint
all alone.
His letter to the other member
expressed his conviction that th'
request for publication had limo
Gently" transgressed the rules gov
erning the conduct of Senate com
mittees.
IF we. are going to allow thi
report to be released as an investi
gators report. we must ourselve
take the responsibility of everything
contained in it and it will, in fact
be committee report" he said.
In this instance, the major por
tion of the subject matter contained
In this report has already beer
voted by the committee to be outsid'
our Jurisdiction and within th'
scope of the Senate Foreign Rela
tions Committee"
He also objected that the report
In its references to displaced per
sons, refugees and some American
troops, attacks whole groups upol
evidence cleaned with reference t.
small numbers of those groups O
upon hearsay evidence. . ="
Rattle StrongIes Boby
NORFOLK, Va, Dec. 3 P.-
Stanley Wayne Green, S months ole
died of strangulation when h
caught a baby rattle in his throa