Evening star., 1948-09-03
New Red Probe
Delayed a Week
'ByHouseGroup
Date Now Sept. IS;
Committee Split
With Trumun Grows
BY Miriam Ottenbera

Robert E. Stripping. chief in
vestigator of the House Com
mittee on American Activi-
ties, today announced a weeks
postponement in the resumption
of the committee's open hear
ings into Communist infiltration
and espionage.
The postponement came as the
gulf widened between the committee
and President Truman. The Presi-
dent yesterday described as "a lie
out of the whole cloth any charge
that he had ever protected a dis
loyal person in Government.
Mr.. STRIPPING said subcommittee
next week will hold a series of ex-
ecutive sessions in preparation for
open hearings beginning Septem-
ber Is.
The committee originally had
scheduled September as the. date
when it would begin half a dozen
different Investigations.
Mr. STRIPPING said the postpone
ment was decided on to give the
staff and preparatory subcommit-
tee time to complete the necessary
work before the open hearings. The
committee expects to spend three
weeks on the next phase of its
hearings.
Witnesses to be Heard
During next weeks closed sessions,
the subcommittee will hear wit
nesses in the Hiss-Chambers contro-
versy as we'll as some witnesses who,
Mr.. STRIPPING said, can supply in
formation on third espionage ring
involving Government employees.
When the hearings resume, Mr..
Stripping said he has been advised
by Chairman Thomas, the commit
tee will complete its investigation of
the preWar relationship of Alger
Hiss and Whitaker Chambers.
Mr.. Chambers. self-confesSed ex-
Communist agent, has accused Mr..
Hiss, former State Department off,
clal, of leadership in prewar Com
munist underground "a charge
which Mr. Hiss has steadfastly de-
MED.
An added starter on the commit
tees agenda for open hearings Is
the planned resumption of the
hearings into Communist infiltration
in Hollywood Mr.. STRIPPING said
this phase of the inquiry will deal
with Hollywood personalities" fol-
lowing the same pattern as the ex-
plosiye movie hearings last October.
Condor Case Pending.
The committee, Mr.. Stripping said,
also will take up a third espionage
ring, infiltration of Communists into
Negro groups, immigration of Com
munists and the case of DR.. Edward
U. Condor, director of the National
Bureau of Standards.
The committee has called Or.
Condor "one of the weakest links"
in this Nations atomic security. Dr..
Condor has steadfastly denied the
charge and has asked for a chance
to be heard.
The subcommittee which next
week will lay the groundwork for
the open hearings will include Mr..
Thomas, Representative Vail, Re-
publican, of Illinois, and Represen-
tative Mcdowell, Republican, of
Pennsylvania.
Mr. Mcdowell, commenting earlier
today on Mr.. Trumans statement on
the spy inquiry, said
The President ought to be
ashamed of himself to talk the way
he does when we're working so hard
for our country"
Mr.. Truman told a press confer
ence yesterday that he is standing
behind his previous description that
the congressional Communist inves-
legations are "red herring" Fur
ther, he said, he would prove the
charge before the election campaign
is over.
Mr.. Mcdowell described the
(See PROBE, Page A-5)