Evening star., 1947-02-27
HouseSubpoena
For Marshall
Is Suspended
Committee Chuirmun
OverruIes Weichel
In Soviet Ship Probe
RIIII ETIN
BULLETIN

House Merchant Marine Com
mittee today temporarily sus-
pended" the serving Of a
subpoena against Secretary of
State Marshall by a subcom-
mittee. Mr.. Bradley said
Undersecretary of State Ache
son promised him by telephone
to appear in his Office at 4 pm.
today with copies of State De-
partment correspondence with
Russia relating to 95 lend-lease
ships. Chairman Bradley ex-
pressed regret Representative
Weichel had issued the sub
poena because Gen. Marshall
doesn't know a damn thing
about these Russian ships"
BY the Associated Press
A House Merchant Marine sub
committee today subpoenaed
Secretary Of State Marshall to
produce for it tomorrow all rec
ords and communications deal
ing with the wartime transfer of
United States ships to Russia.
The subpoena, signed by Repre-
sentative Weichel, Republican, of
Ohio, subcommittee chairman, was
turned over to House Sergeant at
Arms william F. Russell.
Mr.. Russell reported he was unable
to contact Gen. Marshall at the
State Department and left imme-
diately for the White House, where
the Secretary was in conference with
President Truman.
Subpoena Not Served Yet.
Shortly afternoon, when Gen.
Marshall had returned to his Office,
Lincoln White, State Department
press officer, reported no subpoena
had been served. He told reporters
that the House sergeant at arms
had not appeared at the Secretary's S
Office with any request to serve the
subpoena.
The subpoena directed the Secre-
tary to appear before the committee
at $3.50 am. tomorrow with "all
books, papers, communications and
other memoranda covering the mat
ter of approximately 100 merchant
ships owned by the United States
now in the possession OF the Russian
government, the communications to
Russia and the replies of Russia"
In view Of the constitutional
separation of powers between the
executive and judicial
of the Government, con-
gressional sources said there was a
question whether Cen. Marshall
could be compelled to comply with a
House subpoena. When Secretary of
Interior Krug was subpoenaed by
the House Surplus Property Com
mittee last session, he appeared
before the committee but said. he
was doing so voluntarily" Veteran
congressional employees said the
Krug subpoena was the first issued
by House committee for cabinet
officer in score Of years.
Unit Probing Ship Transfers.
Mr.. Weichel is chairman of the
subcommittee on ship sales, charters
and layups, which has been inves-
tigating the status of merchant ships
transferred to Russia and Great
Britain during the war and not yet
returned to this country.
In a statement, Mr.. Weichel said:
"In the course of the hearings
there has been refusal to disclose
to the committee and Congress
certain communications and today
have caused subpoena to issue
for the Hon. George c. Marshall
Secretary of State, to appear before
the committee and there to testify
on matters concerning this trans
action and bring with him all books
papers and communications covering
some 100 MERCHANT ships belonging
to the United States and now in the
possession of Russia which have not
been returned to this country.
"The Updersecretary of State, Will
liam Clayton, at a former hearing
stated there had been communi-
cation directed to Russia and that
some considerable time ago a reply
was received. We further stated the
answer was unsatisfactory but re-
fused to disclose to the committee
and to the Congress the contents OF
the reply saying it was not for the
committee.
"Since that time the Russians have
issued a statement that the United
States and Great Britain divided
100000 tons Of merchant shipping
taken from the Germans. Up to tnis
time the committee has no informa.
ton of the United States receiving
(See SHIPS, Page A-5.)
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