Evening star., 1948-02-20
Bar Unit Views
On Tamm 10 Be
Heard Monday
Night Meeting Set
To Hear Opposition
To Nomination

sufficient experience in law to qualify
him for the District Court bench will
come before a Senate Judiciary SUBJ
committee at a special night session
at Z pm. Monday.
Backed already for the post of
associate justice by some high Gov
ernment officials, three Senators and
several attorneys In private practice,
MIR. Tamm will be opposed strongly
BY both the District and American
Bar Associations. They charge he
Is not qualified to be Judge because
he never tried case in court.
Senator Donnell, Republican, Of
Missouri, subcommittee chairman,
who is conducting the hearings, an
nounced the night session at the
close Of the second days session
Yesterday. Spokesman for the bar
groups will be the first to take the
stand.
Among others who have indicated
their intention of opposing the Pres
dents nominee is James C. Wilkes,
chairman of the Republican State
Committee for the District.
Vote Case Surveyed.
Mr.. Tamm's participation in the
FBI investigation of alleged elec-
ton frauds in Kansas City, Mo-, was
surveyed at length yesterday. But
most of the hearing from now on Is
expected to narrow the issue down
to Mr.. Tamm's legal experience,
His advocates claim his legal expert
ence in the FBI has qualified him
even better than trial practice for
the bench. Opponents deny this.
Senator Ferguson, Republican, of
Michigan, who attended yesterdays
hearing, said he wanted to make 1t
plain that his appearance could not
be interpreted as opposition to the
nominee. Senator Ferguson pre-
sided at hearing by another ju-
dietary subcommittee last spring in
vestigating the Kansas City election
"At the present time" said the
Michigan Senator, Il have not
come to any conclusion on the NOM
ination; I am willing to listen to
testimony both for and against. I
was just listening in. But I con-
slider Mr.. Tamm an honorable, high.
grade man."
May Head New Probe.
Senator Ferguson has been men,
toned as chairman of a special sub
committee of the Senate Committee
on Expenditures in Executive De-
partments, which may launch a new
probe into the Kansas City charges.
But so far the committee funds have
been blocked by Senate Democratic
leaders. Legislation for a fund Of
SIPS, 900 for the group is expected to
be taken up next week, however, by
Republican leadership for possible
action.
The record of Senator Ferguson's
probe of the Kansas City affair last
spring entered the Tamm hearing
yesterday, as the nominee was ques-
toned sharply by Senator Donnell.
Mr.. Tamm finally shouldered the
blame for the FBI having failed to
question more than 80 employees Of
the Kansas City Star on that papers
Investigations of the alleged election
frauds.
The nominee said he accepted
personal responsibility for this, In
his capacity as No. 3 man in the
FBI, with the title of assistant to
Director J. Edgar Hoover.
Investigation Limited.
Questioned by Senator Cooper,
Republican, of Kentucky, a former
judge, on whether he thought the
preliminary investigation ordered
by Attorney General Clark had
been sufficiently thorough, Mr..
Tamm replied ut did not cover the
entire field of potential violations"
The FBI inquiry. he said, was con-
fined to precincts and wards where
the Kansas City Star had made
its investigation. The FBI probe
was mot city-wide, nor district
wide Mr.. Tamm said.
Explaining that he had not found
out until months later" in Wash
ington, that the FBI agents had
not interviewed the more than 30
employees of the paper, Mr.. Tamm
said that, If he had known about
it at the time, he would have re-
ported it directly to Mr.. Hoover.
Il feel personal shortcoming
and dereliction," he testified. II
probably am responsible for en-
barrassment to Mr.. Hoover, which
should not have been his"
During earlier examination by
Senator Donnell on the same issue.
Mr.. Tamm had been less outspoken.
Senator Donnen pressed him sew
eral times to give his personal
opinion" and finally his opinion
as a lawyer, and nominee for
the bench" as to whether the pre-
liminary examination had been as
thorough as ordered by the Attor-
ney General and sufficient to de-
termine whether there had been
violations Of law.
In reply to the Missouri Senator,
Mr.. Tamm referred to records
already in the Ferguson commit
| ICE llltcSIiB dLAOll dIN StdLCIllcIlIS
by Mr.. Hoover. Once he said he
could not recall enough details Of
the report to comment.
Senator Donnell spent some time
going into Mr.. Tamm's admission
10 the Minnesota State Bar, to the
Supreme Court Of the United
States, to the American Bar Asso-
citation and to the Federal Bar AS
sociation here. The witness also
was quizzed as to his answers on
his legal experience when he ap-
piled for membership In the Dis
trict Bar Association. This has not
yet been acted on, it was learned,
because not enough time has
elapsed since Mr.. Tamm's admis-
sion to the Minnesota Supreme
Court.
He was admitted to the Mime
sofa bar, the witness said, on mo-
ton, under rules of the courts OF
that State. Mr.. Tamm was the
only witness yesterday.