Evening star., 1947-07-15
House Opens Debate
On Rees Loyalty Bill;
Democrats AssaiI Il
Kefouver Soys Measure
Violates Civil Rights;
sqboth Charges Smear
By Joseph Young

The House today opened de-
bate on the Rees loyalty bill, with
Democratic members attacking
the legislation as seeking to de-
stroy the civil rights and liber-
ties Of Government workers.
The Republican-controlled House,
however, was expected to adopt the
bill, sponsored by Chairman Rees OF
the House Civil Service Committee.
The measure provides for thorough
investigation of all Government
employees and all applicants for
Federal jobs.
This bill violates more civil
rights and liberties than any bill
I've ever seen,'' declared Repre-
sentative Kefauver, Democrat, OF
Tennessee.
Mr.. Kefauver asserted that en-
ployes accused of being subversive
and disloyal would not have an
adequate opportunity TO refute the
charges. He said the employees
would be denied the right to a fair
hearing and the chance to confront
their accuSerS.
SABBATH Also Attacks Bill.
persons will be smeared and de-
prived of their livelihood by 10y
atty board that will serve as both
prosecutor and judge, the Tennes-
sean declared.
Representative SABBATH, Democrat,
of Illinois charged that the bill was
a plot by "reactionary Republicans
seeking to smear the Democrats. He
labeled the bill "most drastic"
The Rees measure is identical to
President Trumas,s loyalty program
in many respects, but it provides for
a more thorough preliminary check
up of all Federal employees.
The bill sets up AN independent
Federal loyal board, which will make
final decisions on all loyalty cases.
This differs from Mr.. Truman's 10y
atty plan which would set up the
board under the jurisdiction of the
Cicil Service Commission.
In effect, the Rees bill relegates
the commission to a comparatively
minor role in the loyalty investiga-
ton program.
Under the Rees bill, all Federal
employees as well as all applicants
for Government jobs will receive
preliminary name and fingerprint
checks based on the files of the Fed
eral Bureau of Investigation, the
Civil Service Commission, the Army
and Navy military intelligence rec
ords, the House Un-American Activ-
tiles Committee, and ether sources.
Should any derogatory informa-
ton be turned up during this pre-
liminary investigation, the employees
name will then be turned over to
the FBI, which then will conduct a
full -fedged investigation.
Cost Put At $15,000, 900.
The FBIs findings will then be
turned over to the Federal loyalty
board, which will decide whether
the suspected employe should be
dismissed.
Mr.. Rees contends that his bill
would be far more effective than
the Presidents program in wedding
out Communists, Fascists and other
subversive employees from the Gov
ernment. He estimates his bill would
cost about $4,000, 600. .
The bill is apt to run into trouble
on the Senate side, where Chairman
LANCER of the Senate Civil Service
Committee has introduced his own
loyalty bill. Senator Langer's meas
ure calls for Congress to conduct
the loyalty Investigations, rather
than the executive branch of the
Government.
Republican leaders, however, are
anxious that Congress enact some
sort of loyalty investigation legisla-
ton before it recesses this year and
Senate leaders are expected to take
speedy action once the House acts
on the measure.