Evening star., 1949-06-13
Nixon Calls for Inquiry
Into CIark's Failure
To Drop Cop|on Case

role IN tne OeclSlOn 70 pare the
reports of FBI informants in the
Coplon case had probably de-
stroyed the work of years Rep
resentative Nixon. Republican, OF
California, said today he will
recommend a congressional in
vestigation of the conduct ol
espionage cases.
At the same time. the legislator
said he will press for an early
hearing for DR.. Edward u Con-
don, director OF the National
Bureau of Standards. who is de-
manding a personal apology tc
Mrs. Condor from FBI Director
j. Edgar Hoover.
Committee Action Sought.
Both recommendations, MI
Nixon said, will be made TO the
House Committee on Un-American
Activities, which has described Dr.
Condor as "one of the weakest
links" in the Nations atomic
security.
Chairman Wood Of the commit
tee. informed of Mr.. Nixon's rec
concentrations, said that If DR.
Condor makes a request to be
heard, we will be glad to hear
him. It's up to him"
AS to investigating the handling
of espionage trials. Mr.. Wood saio
the committee would be glad te
discuss it" If Mr.. Nixon wants tc
bring it up at the committee ses'
sion tomorrow morning. He de-
clined to comment on what ne
personally thought Of this recon-.
mendation.
Mr.. Nixon made 1t clear he was
directing his attack against At
torney General Clark. Once th'
trial Judge decided the reports
should be brought into court, he
said, the Justice Department
should have dropped the case al
the FBI urged.
Clark Returns to Capital.
Mr.. Clark, the object OF Mr.
Nixon's wrath, left a Democratic
farm meeting in Des Moines yes
terday to return to Washington
Reached here today. Mr.. CLARK
laughed at reports from De'
Moines that he had changed his
plans and rushed here because ol
q telephone call from Washington
Il had reservations on the 2:25
pm. train," he explained. The
boys wanted me to stay. but !
told them I had to get back, that
q lot of problems come up from
time to time. I never talked to
Washington while I was in DeS
Moines and I wasn't there for one
hour. 1t was closer to eight hours
I just felt I should get back"
Mr.. Clark had no comment on
Mr.. Nixon's criticism.
Mr.. Nixon said he trusted the
administration would allow the
Democratic majority on the House
committee to 60 into "the whole
matter of how to handle these
espionage cases"
Coplon Action Called "Stupid."
Mr.. Clark's decision to go aheac
with the prosecution of judith
Coplon even though it meant
making public FBI files was de.
scribed by Mr.. Nixon as certainly
the most utterly stupid decision
anybody ever made, by one who
claims this administration Is wag-
ing a great fight against COM
munism."
Mr.. Nixon said he was referring
to broadcast made over the
week end by Mr.. Clark in which
he said that alien Communists
are fleeing the country and that
the number of Communists here
is about one-third smaller than
three years ago.
Communists in the United
States are on the run. as threat
to Government. as an influence in
labor, or as political party" Mr.
Clark said in an interview broad
cast on Gannett radio stations.
Mr.. Clark said the job of Clean
ing I'D this Communist mess" be-
gan in 1888 and is now going
stronger than ever"
Under President Truman he
added, more have been convicted
than during our entire history
They are being shipped back as
fast as law and visa conditions
permit"
Sees Prosecutions Ended.
Mr.. Nixon took a different view
He predicted that Mr.. Clark'S de.
cision in the Coplon case prob
ably is going to mean there vii
be no future prosecutions in es.
pionaee cases."
This decision, he said. has
probably destroyed the work Of
years in building up informants
within the Communist apparatus
in this country. 1t certainly ha!
injured the national security
He saw the decision as part OF
possible campaign to discredit tht
FBI.
The FBI obviously knew tina
these reports were unevaluatee
material" he explained. The!
came from informants. But al
the left-wingers who have beer
waiting to take a crack at TIT
FBI are treating the reports a
epaluated, as reports OF the FB
itself"
He expressed the fear tina
pressure on the administration
from left-wing groups will resul
in forcing the FBI to curtail 1t
system of getting information
from informants.
CopIon