Evening star., 1948-03-31
Tamm Faces Another
Session Of HEARING on
Judicial Qualifications

Edward A. Tamm, FBI official,
will appear before at least one
more session of Senate Judiciary
subcommittee that is considering
his nomination to be a District
Court Justice.
Public hearings on the appoint
ment closed last night, after five
witnesses opposed Mr.. Tamm. 1t
was the sixth session of the sub
committee on the nomination sub
mitted to the Senate by President
Truman on February 2.
Mr.. Tamm will return to the next
session to submit certain documents
requested by Senator Donnell. Re-
publican, of Missouri, subcommittee
chairman. They relate to Mr..
Tamm's admission to the Minnesota
State Bar.
Senator Cooper, Republican, of
Kentucky presided over the two
and-a half -heur session last night
III the absence of Senator Dornelf
He announced the time of the next
session will be set by the chairman
Endorsement Presented.
One Endorsement Of Mr.. Tamm
for the bench was read into. the
record by Senator Cooper. From
Marshall Murray. president of the
Montana Bar Association, it de-
clared: 1--WE believe our former
Montana citizen and Montana Uni
versity schoolmate fully qualified
for this appointment"
Witnesses who opposed Mr.. Tamm
at the hearing were: George E.
Mcneil. president OF the District
Bar Association; Roger Robb. former
assistant United States attorney
here; Ira Chase Koehne, Washing
ton attorney; John NJ Holzw orth,
Alexandria attorney, and Antonio
Barea, a clerk.
Mr.. Mcneil testified on the formal
opposition of the District Bar Asso-
citation, based on the nominees lack
OF trial experience. He told the
committee he appeared under the
AldlOdIc VI GllC UdI ASSOCld GlOIl,
which had voted to oppose Mr..
Tamm.
Mr.. Mcneil, said he had mo ami
mostly whatsoever to a lawyer who
aspires to the bench" But he ex-
pressed his personal opinion that
Mr.. Tamm does not have the "nec-
essary qualifications.
Il hold the view" declared Mr..
Mcneil, that a man, to be a trial
Judge. should be an experienced
lawyer" He expressed the opinion
that one who had no trial experience
might be suited for the appellate
bench.
The position Of the District Bar
Association also had been placed in
the record of several previous hear
ings by other witnesses.
Mr.. Robb objected to the Tamm
because the nominee Is
mot qualified
Mr.. Koehne protested the nomi-
nee's appointment on constitutional
contending his shift from
the executive to the judicial branch
Of Government would not be con-
sistent with the fundamental theory
Of the separation of these branches.
AS counsel for four defendants in
the wartime mass sedition trial,
which was dismissed. Mr.. Koehne
complained the FBI did not return
documents taken from his clients.
Holzworth Opposes Nominee.
Mr.. Holzworth, as attorney for
Thomas Jordan. now serving life
term for murder of Mrs. Elizabeth
Jaynes in the Garden r Shoppe
holdup April 3, 1881, opposed the
nominee. The witness also charged
the Justice Department and FBI
officials have refused to release their
file. needed by his client in a pend
ing petition in the District Court
at Alexandra for writ of habeas
corpus.
Assistant Attorney General Pey-
ton Ford testified that Mr.. Tamm
had nothing to dc with the murder
:ase. and had no authority. nor dis
.retion in regard to release Of any
papers In the files Of the depart
rent.
Mr.. Barea. a native OF Cuba, said
,e has been in this country since
May 81, 1s47, and related his expert
snces here as clerk, and an inves-
;igator in certain matters which he
had referred to the House Commit
zee on Un-American Activities. He
opposed the Tamm nomination on
he ground the FBl is too biased"
to Meet
A meeting of Alexandria mer-
chants has been called for 8 pm.
tomorrow at the Virginia Electric g.
Power Co., auditorium by Sylvan
Cohen. president of the Alexandra