Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-25

OrdmdUlC SeCLlNg To-Day, Anger
his accuser, Whitaker Chamb,
can, of South Dakota also crosses
, swords with the witness. Mr. Mind
pointed to the spot in testimon,
taken from Mr.. Hiss in executive
session in which Mr. Hiss said :"
sold him an automobile"
Il wish you would make a state
ment and stand by it." Mr.. Mund
declared. In 1884 and 1885, Their
was depression. Automobile
weren't so numerous. You know
whether you gave Crosley car ant
whether he gave it back to you"
! The committee persisted in ques'
tioning Mr.. Hiss on dates after pro-
ducing records from the Department
of Vehicles and Traffic showing thai
the car was sold by Mr.. Hiss to the
Cherner Motor Co. for $25 in 1886
year after Mr.. Hiss said he gave
or sold the car to Chambers OF
Crosley.
Asked About Apartment Deal.
| The committee also produced rec
1rds to show that Mr.. Hiss bought g
new car, Plymouth. In September
1885. The committee members point
ed out that in his testimony ir
executive session. Mr.. Hiss repeated
| ly said he threw in the car as part
of an apartment transaction which
had taken place months earlier.
/ Mr. Hiss said he thought 1t was
last August Is that it came to hin
that he had known Mr.. Chambers
but under the name Crosby.
Mr.. Hiss went on to say that "ac.
cording to my best recollection" hi
/ first met George Crosley" when the
latter visited him at Mr.. Hiss Office
At that time, Mr.. Hiss was counse
/ for the Senate Munitions Investi.
eating Committee. He said Mr.
Crosley represented himself as e
I free lance writer"
That is my best recollection OF
how I first met Mr.. George Crosley,
he added.
Mr.. Hiss then was asked about
his real estate transactions, partic-
ularly about the houses in which he
a., had lived here and an apartment he
let Mr.. CHAMBERS have.
Unable to Check All Records.
Mr.. Hiss said he has been unable
| to check all the lease and real estate
records but still is doing SO and
wants to be helpful to the commit
tee 'in its presumed search for the
! truth" .+ a., -a -.oa. 5-r -.-,.-.
It is probable that some of the old
leases were discarded as the Hiss
family moved from one apartment
TO another, Mr.. Hiss said.
But there never was a lease to
Mr.. Crosley. he emphasized, and
the arrangement whereby Crosley
once occupied Mr.. Hiss home was
AN oral arrangement"
The time of this arrangement was
not pinned down Immediately in
the testimony, but Mr.. Hiss has said
previously that 1t was in 1884 or
1885.
Mr.. Stripping went over testi-
mony Mr.. Hiss gave the committee
in secret session August l6. This
was to the effect that Mr.. Hiss let
Crosley have at exact cost an
apartment he was giving up, left
some furniture behind for his use
and put up Crosley and his wife and
baby for two or three nights" while
they were waiting for their own
furniture to arrive.
Suggests Check Of Records.
Mr.. Hiss said that was the best
of his recollection at that time,
But since then, he said. he has
learned that the lease on his apart
ment, as we'll as one on house
into which he moved. had ended
earlier than he thought when testi-
flying August Is.
The questioning went on:
Mr.. STRIPPING: When did you
first move into the p street house,"
Mr.. Hiss: Mr.. Stripping, l think
the best way for this committee to
get the full facts is to 60 to the
records. I have not been able to get
to it. but I will as soon as I can get
the record on the lease"
Mr.. Thomas (bitingly): I'VE ap-
preciate your suggestions on how to
conduct these hearings, but we have
certain questions to ask. Mr.. Strip
ling, you will proceed"
When committee members, par
ticularly Representative Nixon, kept
pounding for details of leases and
dates of moving, Mr.. Hiss suggested
that the committee get down to the
accusation that he was a Commu-
mist.
The important charges are not
questions of leases" Mr.. Hiss said.
1T is whether I was a Communist
Il seems to me to be topsy-
turvy to be talking only of leases. "
Question of Credibility.
Mr. Nixon said the question of the
leases was important in determine
ton of credibility.
! The issue in this hearing TODAY
is whether or not Mr.. Hiss or Mr.
Chambers has committed perjury
before this committee" Mr.. Nixon
said.
! Mr.. Hiss retorted smilingly that
detailed questioning about leases
made years ago did not seem to