Evening star., 1949-03-23
Senate Group De|etes
Pay iofSttaus From
Reclamation Fund

Reclamation Fund
Fate Of Reclamation Commits
sioner Michael Straus and one of
his chief aides rested with a SerY-
ate Appropriations Subcommittee
today after the full committee
voted to keep them of the Fed
eral payroll.
The adverse action came yes
terday as the Appropriations
Committee approved a $53s.453.-
ATS money bill to help run various
Government agencies until July /.
It raised q question of loyalty
about which MIR. Straus said he
had never heard q thing"
It was reported that the COM
mittee dropped a provision restor-
ing Mr.. Straus and Richard L.
Boke, the bureaus regional direc-
tor In California, to the Govern
ment's payroll after the Justice
Department had refused to turn
over TO 1t an FBI report on Mr..
Straus.
Serving without Pay.
Senator O'Mahoney, Democrat,
Of Wyoming. member of the
subcommittee named to investi-
gate the matter. refused to COM
ment on this. Nor would he con-
arm reports that information
gathered by the House Commit
tee on Un-American Activities
had been placed before the COM
mittee.
The Senator said the subcom-
Inittee would meet and decide
on whether to consult with Pres
ident Truman and Attorney Gen.
eral Clark. On three occasions
Mr.. Truman has urged Congress
to restore Mr.. Straus and Mr.!
Boke to the Federal payroll.
Both officials have been serving
without pay since February / be-
cause of a rider on last years ap-
preparation bill. Rejecting a bit
ter controversy over western rec
lamation policies, that rider,
aimed specifically at Mr.. Straus
and Mr.. Boke, said that no salary
payments could be made to top
bureau officials who do not have
Ut least five years Of experience
as engineers. Neither Mr.. Straus
nor Mr.. Boke Is an engineer.
To Consider Matter Further.
Senator O'Mahoney said no
meeting date for the subcommit-
tee has been fixed. Other men,
bers are Senators McCarran. DEM
ocrat. of Nevada and Gordon. Re-
publican, Of Oregon.
The Senator said the full COM
mittee was unable to reach an
agreement on the Straus and Boke
matter after eight sessions, but
decided to delete the House passed
provision restoring the two off,
cials to the payroll rather than
delay the deficiency appropria-
ton measure for nearly two-score
Government Offices.
:, He added that the group would
consider the matter further In an
attempt to reach a decision be-
fore the next deficiency appropri-
alton bill comes before Congress.
No Loyalty Question Raised.
MIR. Straus said no questions
regarding loyalty came up during
the lengthy hearings on the sup
Elemental appropriation bill con-
tanning q provision to restore him
and Mr.. Boke to the Federal pay
roll.
I'm not accused Of anything" 4"
he remarked, and added that the
FBI had never asked a word"
about his associations outside the
ONCE. This was reported to be
included in the information laid
before the committee.
"Of course" he added, Il asso-
relate with many persons outside
my office"
Mr.. Straus. a former newspaper
man. pointed out that he, as other
Government employees, underwent
q loyalty check by the FBI.
Fought Downey Proposal.
He added that he was notified
on March 29. 194s. that on this
routine check the Loyalty Board
unanimously made "a finding en-
tirely favorable" to him.
Mr.. Straus said the whole fight
started two and one-half years
ago with the efforts Of Senator
Downey. Democrat. of California.
to obtain repeal Of a provision Of
the 1902 Reclamation Act, prohib-
iting Federal irrigation water
from being supplied to farms of
more than 160 acres.
He said he had sought to en-
-Get to KnOtu