Evening star., 1947-02-13
LiIienthaI Gains
As White House
Stands Firm
Spurkmon, Morse
And Myers Ready
To Back Nomination

President Truman hasn't the
faintest intention" of Withdraw
ing the nomination of David E.
Lilienthal to be chairman of the
Atomic Energy Commission, de-
spite bitter opposition that the
appointment has stirred in the
Senate, White House Press Sec
retary Charles G. Ross declared
today.
Mr.. Ross made the statement to
reporters few minutes after Sem
ator Hatch, Democrat, of New
Mexico, a White House caller, said
he had gotten the definite i'm
preston" in talking to the Presi-
dent that the nomination would not
be withdrawn.
my conviction is that Mr.. Lilien-
thai should be confirmed" Senator
Hatch continued.
Hearing Tactics AssaiIed.
"The tactics of opposing every
nominee who comes up in the Sen
ate-even to the extent of reviling
and condemning - ultimately will
result in the Government in not
being able to obtain men of char
acter and responsibility to carry on
the functions of Government" he
asserted.
Senator Hatch said the Lilienthal
matter came up in the course of a
discussion on other subjects.
Two other Senators already had
added their support today for Mr..
Lilienthal in the see-saw contest
over his confirmation. A top admin
istration official previously said Mr..
Truman would allow the fight to 60
to the Senate floor rather than
withdraw the nomination.
Senators Sparkman, Democrat, of
Alabama and Morse, Republican, of
Oregon told a reporter they will
vote for the former IVA chairman.
The Reserve Officers of the Naval
Services, in a letter signed by Eu-
gene C. Carusi, president, urged
Congress to accord Mr.. Lilienthal "a
full, complete and public hearing
directly on the charges" brought
against him. Copies of the letter
went to Senator Vandenberg, Re-
publican, of Michigan, President
pro Tenn of the Senate, and Sena-
tors Hickenlooper, Republican, of
Iowa, chairman of the Senate
Atomic Energy Committee, and Taft,
Republican, of Ohio. 4
= I'VE do not consider the present |
perfunctory hearings ade-
quate," Mr.. Carusi wrote.
Charge of Serious Magnitude.
Mr.. Carusi's letter said Mr.. Lii
ienthal has been openly charged
with having Communist leanings.
This is charge Of the most serious
magnitude. If the allegations are
without foundation it is an unwar-
ranted blot on the record of a
patriotic citizen. If, on the other
hand, there is any vestige of truth
to these charges his appointment
would endanger the very existence
of this Nation. s"*
"No man should receive this ap-
pointment so long as there remains
even a taint of suspicion of disloy-
atty" Mr.. Carusi said in behalf of
members of the organization, which
claims to represent more than 300,-
600 Reserve officers Of the Navy,
Marine Corps and Coast Guard who
served in the war.
: Senator Sparkman said he con-
siders the -Lilienthal evidence
presented to the Atomic Energy
Committee "just smoke screen that
is completely without substance"
81 don't see how anybody could
rely on that sort of evidence to
vote against his confirmation" the
Alabaman added. He has attended
many of the committee sessions,
now in their third week.
Morse Praises LilienthaPs Record.
Senator Morse said:
IT think Mr.. Lilienthal has clearly
demonstrated record of outStand-
ing and able public service that is
at least equal to that of his de-
tractors"
OF three Senators who took pub
lie stand on the issue yesterday, two
opposed Mr.. Lilienthal as New
Dealer" whose confirmation would
clash with what they called man
date from the people last election
day. The critics are Senators Moore,
(See ATOMIC, Page A-6D