Evening star., 1948-02-24
Tarnm Hearing .
To Be Resumed
Next tuesday
Witnesses for D. 6.
Bar Association Cite
Opposition to Nomine'
By Horold B. Rogers

A Senate judiciary SuDCOIliIIllt-
tee decided this afternoon to re-
sumo hearings next Tuesday at 7
p. m. into the disputed nomination of
Edward A. Tamm, FBI official, to
,,e associate justice of District Court.
Mr.. Tamm, assistant to the di-
rector of the FBI, was strongly
opposed by six witnesses last night
u three e-and-a- -half-hour hear
.ng. They represented the District
Gar Association, the Republican
;tate Committee and attorneys in
,rivate practice.
Results of the recent referendum
u the bar association members
howing about S to l against Mr..
ran1m were fled with the commit
ee. In the poll, 928 opposed Mr..
-amm, 173 Endorsed him. SO were
,oncommittal, and votes were re-
,cted.
Senator Donnell, Republican, of
,issouri. subcommittee chairman,
id afterward that more public
,arings will be necessary. Among
her opponents of the Tamm NOM
alton to be heard are spokesmen
the American Bar Association.
Four Witnesses Oppose Tamm.
Mr.. Tamm has run into strong
)position from several sources.
our witnesses last night objected
} him on behalf of the District Bar
association.
Spokesman for the association
,inned most of their arguments on
he fact that Mr.. Tamm had never
sried q case in court. Therefore,
hey contended, he was not sufncl-
>ntly experienced in trial procedure
o qualify him for the bench.
James c. Wilkes, an attorney and
chairman of the Republican State
Committee, also objected to Mr.
Tamm's lack of courtroom work
But he charged that since the 1882
election mo Republican has been
nominated to our local District
Court"
Sees Balance Altered.
During that time" he told the
committee" the political balance OF
our court has been altered so that
only one Republican will remain or
our District Court of IL judges.
Current Nominations Are Approved
: A similar situation has been Gre
ated throughout the Federal judici-
ary, Mr.. Wilkes asserted.
After the hearing, Mr.. Tamm was
asked by the press if he cared to
clear up the, issue. He replied only
that he was a resident of the Dis
trict of Columbia a - d
( Senator KIgore said he under
stood that FBI men, like other Gov
ernment employees, were barred
from participating actively in poll
tics by the Hatch Act, the Corrupt
Practices Act and other legislation
He expressed surprise that the Is
sue had been raised.
Senator Cooper, Republican, o1
Kentucky, expressed the opinion
that the committee should not con-
slider politics ''in any way"
The political complexion of court:
here also was touched on by Johr
Lewis Smith, former District Bal
Association president, who spoke a!
member of the Committee on Ju'
sdicial Selection of that group.
The question of Mr.. Tamms ap'
plicatien to be admitted to practice
before DistrictsCourt here came be
fore the courts own Committee or
Admissions and Grievances, MIR
Smith, a committee member, testt
fled on questioning by Mr.. Ford.
wasn't Mr.. Tamm advised hi!
work in the FBI constituted thu
practice of law?" Mr.. Ford asked.
I "He was told the committee hae
considered it," replied Mr.. Smith
e'and that he could qualify by July
194S, and If he applied again VI
would consider it,"
Two Change Opinions.
{ Later. Mr.. Smith said. the com
anittee learned that in his applida
ton to practice before the Supreme
Court, Mr.. Tamm had said he "hae
not practiced law On the basis O.
this, Mr.. Smith said, two member!
4of the committee of which he wa!
zone changed our opinions.
I I'VE feel he is not eligible under
that" concluded the witness.
Hugh H. Obear, chairman of the
sbar associations Committee on Ju.
sdicial Selection. opened the attack
son Mr.. Tamnfs nomination. He
was followed by Milton w. King
former president of the association
and by John H. Burnett, attorney
sboth speaking for the same com.
gmittee. All concentrated their OBJ
sjections on Mr.. Tamm's lack of tria
experience in court, insisting it dis.
qualified him as a jurist. Mrs
Marie Flynn Maddox, an attorney
also registered her own objection
llnrol ~, ,,,,,oh tho car,oo orCl1ponnt