Evening star., 1948-12-03

Inquiry Maybe
urged byC|ark
Will Ask Reopening
If Grand Jury Urges
1t, Official Says

Attorney General Clark said
today he would recommend that
the Whitaker Chambers-Alger
Hiss investigation be reopened
if he is asked to do so by a spe-
cial grand jury in New York.
Such a request, he commented.
could come as a result Of new evi.
dence reported to have developed in
a deposition given recently by Mr..
Chambers. avowed former Commu-
mist agent. The further testimony,
reported to be documentary" was
in connection with Mr.. Chambers
earlier public charges that Mr.. Hiss.
former State Department official.
belonged to a prewar Communist
apparatus" here.
The House Committee on Un.
American Activities also might re-
open its inquiry into the matter, an
official said. A decision probably
will be made within few days on
this point. but in any event the
committee plans to issue a report
on the conflicting testimony of the
two men.
1t was at public hearings before
the committee last summer that Mr..
Chambers, now senior editor of Time
Magazine, made his charges against
Mr.. Hiss, who is president of the
Carnegie Endowment for Interna-
tional Peace.
Dispositions Kept Secret.
Dispositions of Mr.. Chambers and
his wife were taken in Baltimore last
month at the office of William l..
Maroury, attorney for Mr.. Hiss. Mr..
Marbury and Richard F. Cleveland,
attorney for Mr.. Chambers, said in
Baltimore today they had agreed to
Keep the dispositions secret.
They refused to say whether the
depositions were turned over to the
Justice Department., the Associated
Press reported. They added that in
formation in the statements was
not" necessarily new.
House committee sources said
they did not know the exact ma.
ture OF the reported "documentarys
evidence provided by Mr.. Chambers.
They said. however. it apparently
was OF such Importance that the
committee this month might re.
sumo its communism inquiry involv-
Ing the two men.
Attorney General Clark, when
asked by reporters whether the re.
ported new evidence warrants re.
opening of the case, replied that i,
would be up to the grand Jury.
He added he would recommend re-
opening If the jury asked him to DO
so. The Federal grand jury in New
York investigated communism and
espionage and returned indictments
several months ago against Com.
munist leaders in the United States.
The dispositions taken in Balti-
more were in connection with
$1,000 slander suit filed several
weeks ago by Mr.. Hiss against Mr..
Chambers. The suit grew out OF
testimony Mr.. Chambers gave be-
fore the House committee and re-
peated later in radio broadcast.
Nixon Preparing Report.
AS result of the conflicting testi-
mony at the hearings, Justice De-
partment officials indicated some
time ago they were studying the
possibility of perjury prosecution.
The House committees report on
the case is being prepared by
Representative Nixon, Republican,
Of California. Mr. Nixon Is aboard a
steamship bound for Panama but Is
expected to communicate with other
committee members and staff en-
ployes. possibly later today, on the
possibility of reopening the investi-
cation and hearing.
The future of the House commit
tee has been in doubt because Of
the election results and the recent
indictment of its chairman. Repre-
sentative Thomas, Republican, Of
New Jersey on charges of conspir-
acy to defraud the Government
by padding his congressional office
payroll.
Rankin Praises Committee Work.
Representative Rankin, Democrat,
of Mississippi, committee mem
Der, declared today the committee
must continued"
MIR. Rankin, second ranking Demo-
crat on the committee, said that
demands now being made by the
Communists and their fellow travel
ers for the abolition of the COM
mittee merely emphasizes the dire
necessity for its continuation"
The committee, he said, has done
more to expose these enemies within
our gates, warn the American peo-
pie of the danger and put them on
the alert than any other agency Of
this Government"
Year of Good Reodino