Evening star., 1948-05-19
Mundt Red Ban
House Test
On Amendment
MuIter of New York
Says Bill Might Affect
WnIInre Third Pnrtv
BY the Assoeioted Press


of a bill to curb communism, to-
day refused to eliminate a pro-
vision which some members
argued would require Henry A.
Wallace's third party to register
as a Communist-front organiza-
ton.
Representative Multer, Democrat,
of New York offered the motion to
strike out the bills definition of
what constitutes Communist
front organization. He said the
definition was SO broad that it
could be construed as taking in the
third party. Representative Nixon,
Republican, of California, co-author
of the measure, said that wasn't so.
The House turned down Mr.. Null
ter's motion by voice vote.
Foes Concede Passage.
House passage of the controver-
sial measure was predicted by friends
and foes alike. But strong hint
that it may suffer a different fate
in the Senate was given by Chair
man Taft of the Senate Republi-
can Policy Committee in a radio
talk last night.
Senator Taft said the bill may be
so punitive as to drive all the Com
munists underground" rather than
risk admitting their afhliation.
While he said he favors requiring
Communist organizations to reei-
ster and list their membership, he
added:
st do not think we can make it
illegal to be Communist or to
think Communism or to talk Com
munism if it sdoes not 60 to the
extent of advocating the seizure of
the Government by violence"
Editor Calls Bill "Unsound."
Ralph McGill. editor of the At
lanta Constitution, appearing on
the same program. called the House
bill "unwise and unsound" He said
"it seeks to get at communism
through side door,"
The measure also was opposed by
former Assistant Attorney General
Thurman Arnold. 1t should be pos
sible. he said, to cope with COM
munism under present laws.
The legislation was defended as
protection against "subversive ac-
tivities" by Representative Nixon,
Republican, of California. who
wrote the bill with Representative
Mundt. Republican. of South Da-
kota.
Representative Marcantonio, Amer
lean Labor, of New York. leading
the House fight against the meas
ure, told newsmen fatty. The
Senate won't pass this bill"
House Calls Early Session.
But the New Yorker said he
doubted that there would be more
than so votes against it in the
House.
Today's House session was called
two hours earlier than usual to get
the bill out of the way by night.
Still hanging fire is stack OF
amendments. The House Commit
tee on Un-American Activities,
which sponsored the measure, has
proposed some relatively minor
changes, but other pending amend
ments would reWrite the bill en-
tirely.
The temper of the House was in
dlcated yesterday, when every at
tempt to alter the measure was
shouted down.
A motion to kill the bill outright
was proposed by Representative
Miller, Republican, of Connecticut,
who said the fact that Harold E.
Stassen and Gov. Dewey of New
York failed to agree on exactly what
the bill does prove that it needs
clarification and study.
But Mr.. Nixon said his purpose is
merely to make illegal "the subver-
sive acts of the Communist Party
not to outlaw it. Mr.. Miller's motion
was defeated.
The House also rebuffed an at
tempt by Representative Holifeld
Democrat of California; to declare
the world Communist movement a
potential" threat to the United
States instead of clear and pres
ent" threat, as the bill puts it.