Evening star., 1947-02-22
backers Doubt
Taft Blast Will
Block LiIienthaI
Ohio Senator Sees
Former IVA Head
As Power Hungry
BY the Associated Press

man of the Atomic Energy Com
mission expressed confidence
today he will win despite a blast
from one of the Senate's top
Republicans, Senator Taft of
Ohio.
Senator Taft announced he is
going to vote against Mr.. Lilienthal
because he considers him power
hungry bureaucrat" who is "tem-
peramentally untitled" for the po-
sition and "too soft on issues con-
nected with Communism and Soviet
Russia"
Senator Mcmahon, Democrat, OF
Connecticut, member of the
Atomic Energy Committee which is
considering the nomination of the
former chairman of the Tennessee
Valley Authority, commented to a
reporter:
while I recognize Senator Taft's
influence and power as chairman OF
the Republican Policy Committee,
I do not believe his stand will be
persuasive with respect to his COL
leagues in the face of the record
of the hearing, which demonstrates
Mr.. Lilienthal's complete suita-
bility."
AS the committee prepared to con-
tinue its hearings today, two Demo-
cratic Senators-Taylor of Idaho
and Chavez of New Mexico-an-
nounced their support for Mr.. Lii
ienthal. Senator Taylor declared
that charges of leftist leanings laid
against the nominee by Senator Nc
Kellar, Democrat, of Tennessee are
small potatoes-that's the best
term we have for it out in Idaho"
Einstein Gives Support.
Scientist Albert Einstein also has
given his. support to Mr.. Lilienthal.
In a message read last night over
a New York radio station, DR.. Elm
stein said failure of the Senate to
confirm Mr.. Lilienthal would cause
grave consequences in the
field of international politics."
He said Mr.. Lilienthal's nomina-
tion brought some easing to the
tense situation" and added:
I'm my opinion great damage has
been done already by the machina-
tions that have jeopardized Liiien-
thal's confirmation.
Senator Taft said in the state
ment announcing his position last
night that Mr.. Lilienthal was a
member of group which was soft
on the subject of communism"
Members of this group were not
Communists, but like the CIO they
accepted the Communists strength
and assistance, particularly the
Communist propaganda which sup
ported many of their plans Senator
Taft said.
Infiltration Changed.
GAS result of this attitude, Com
munists were permitted to infiltrate
into many of the bureaus and de-
partments in Washington which
they dominated.
There is no doubt that a Com
munist cell was tolerated for a while
by Mr.. Lilienthal in the IVA"
Senator Taft was the third Re-
publican Senate official to go on
record against Mr.. Lilienthal. Ma
jority Leader White and Senator
of Nebraska, the party whip,
announced their decisions
to vote against him.
This left two other Republican
leaders unaccounted for. Both of
them-Senator Vandenberg of Mich
igan, the president pro tenn, and
Millikin of Colorado, the COP Con-
ference chairman-are members of
the committee considering the NOM
ination. Neither has indicated how
he is going to vote.
Compton Letter Cited.
Senator Vandenberg, however,
read the committee yesterday let
ter from DR.. Karl T. Compton,
president of Massachusetts, Insti-
tute of Technology, urging prompt
of all the commission nom
inees.
There was intense speculation on
Capitol Hill whether the Lilienthal
issue might see a split between SEN
ator Vandenberg. the Republicans
leader on international policies, and
Senator Taft, who swings heavy
weight on domestic issues.
Meanwhile, with hearings on the
nomination of Gordon R. Clapp as
Mr.. Lilienthals successor in IVA
expected to close today, Capitol Hill
speculated whether or not II Sen
ators will vote to recommend his
confirmation.
The IL members of the Senate
Public Works Committee, which has
conducted hearings on the nomina-
tion for more than a month. Headed
by Senator Revercomb, Republican,
of West Virginia, they include seven
Republicans and five Democrats.
The committee recalled Henry C..
Hart, former IVA employe, to the
witness chair today to inquire fur
ther about a letter supposed to have
been written in 1889 by the 30-year-
old former Army officer describing
Communism within IVA. Mr.. Hart
l.. i L.. ~f la