Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-01-09
Supreme CouttoH ea
Affidavit Provisions
OF Taft Act Argued

RuInentS lQlS week OH constructor
ality of the non-Communist affidavit
provision of the Taft-Hartley Act.
1t also may hand down decisions
tomorrow in two District cases and
announce whether it will review a
variety of other matters such as:
The District Court conviction of
former Maj Gen. Bennett E. Myers,
wartime Army Air Force purchasing
officer, on charges of subornation
of perjury before a Senate inves-
tigating committee. Meyers, in Dis
trict Jail since last March, asked
the high court last week to consider
his appeal.
A Government claim that the
District rent control law does not
apply to public housing units here
A Government request that the
Supreme Court reverse its four-to-
FIVE decision of last December s,
holding that United States mill
tary base in Bermuda was an Amer
lean possession" within the mean
ing of the Wage-Hour law.
A contention that the District
Court here has at least concurrent
jurisdiction with the Municipal
Court in handling suits involving
less than $4,000 when brought by a
citizen against a Government
agency such as the War Damage
Corporation.
The appeal Of Douglas Chandler
from conviction in Federal Court
at Boston last year on charges of
treason. He was sentenced to life
imprisonment and fined $4,000
when found guilty of having trait
oriously adhered to enemies of the
United States" by broadcasting
propaganda from Germany during
the war. Chandler contests the
jurisdiction Of the trial court and
asserts he was convicted on insult
ficient evidence.
The appeal of Eugene Dennis,
secretary of the Communist Party
in the United States. from con-
viction in District Court here on
contempt of Congress charges for
refusal to appear after being sub
poened by the House Committee
on Un-American Activities, Com
mittee in April, l947.
Decision day tomorrow may bring
Supreme Court opinion in one of
the most important District cases
on the docket for this term.
The constitutional question turns
nj int a.; i
corporations to sue and be sued in
civil proceedings in Federal Courts
outside the District. The Supreme
Court heard oral arguments last
November g.
Another District case on which
the court may rule tomorrow is the
petition OF Baxter Griffin, AZ, color
ed, for a new trial on a murder
charge. The court heard arguments
last month. Griffin had been SEN
fenced to death but claimed newly
discovered evidence indicated the
killing was in self-defense.
Arguments scheduled for Thurs
day or Friday on the non-Com-
munist affidavit issue are expected
to be OF particular interest because
OF the uncertain fate of the Taft
Hartley Act in the new Congress
and future legislative discussions of
Communist control measures.
Last week the Supreme Court
upheld State bans on the closed
shop. The Taft Hartley Act PRO-
rhibits the closed shop insofar as 1t
sadects interstate commerce.
The attack on the non-Commu-
mist affidavit section was carried
to the Supreme Court by the 11mel =
lean Communications AsSocia ton.
CLIO, in a suit to enjoin the National
Labor Relations Board from en-
forcing the provision.
The law provides that unions
whose officers refuse to sign such
affidavits are not entitled to NLRB
privileges. The union describes this
as abridgment of freedom of speech
press and assembly and as too vague
in its terms.
The court early this week also
will hear cases involving alleged
racial discrimination in selection of
Maryland juries and a claim that
a Navy court martial violated the
rights of Chief Signalman Harold
E. Hhshberg
Found guilty of striking a fellow
prisoner in Japanese prison camp.
Hirshoerg declared the Navy court
lacked jurisdiction because it
brought the charges after he had
been honorably discharged and had
re-enlisted for another four years
in the service