Evening star., 1950-02-04
Floor Fight Seen
AS Hatch Act
Agreement Fails
Mitchell Reported
Opposed in View Of
Civil Service Rules

A fight over the plan to let
Government workers in nearby
Maryland and Virginia areas par.
ticipate directly in partisan poll
tics probably will be carried into
the House and Senate, it was in
dicated today.
This issue, it was said. was the
principal reason that q House.
Senate conference group failed
Yesterday to reach agreement on
the proposed amendments to the
Hatch Clean Politics" Act. An
other meeting Of the conferees is
scheduled Thursday.
One of the conferees said it is
likely that the Senate move to
let Government workers in this
area engage in party activities
will be approved by the conferees
"m one form or another"
A spokesman for the opposition,
headed by nonpartisan movement
leaders in Arlington and Mont
gomery Counties, predicted "the
fight will 60 on" even If the con-
ferees recommend enactment of
the Senate plan.
Mitchell Opposition Reported.
Meanwhile. there were reports
on Capitol Hill that Chairman
Harry Mitchell of the Civil Service
Commission had expressed opposi-
ton to the Senate plan in a report
to the Senate Rules Committee.
Senator Stennis, Democrat, of
Mississippi, head Of the Senate
oonferees, told reporters yesterday
a report had been received from
Mr.. Mitchell but that he could not
release it.
Other sources reported that Mr..
Mitchell had explained adoption
Of the Senate plan would mean
reversal OF . civil service policy of
so years standing.
This permits political activity
only on a t1onpartisan or inde-
pendent basis.
1t was reported also that Chair
man Mitchell made the point that
If the Senate amendment were
adopted, it would put the COM
mission ir- the position of approx
ing political activities by Govern
ment workers in the Washington
area while still having to act
against Government workers else
where for the same activities.
Penalty Reduction Voted.
The House last February adopt
ed an amendment, approved by
the commission to permit the
commission to invoke lesser penal
ties than discharge in cases where
the Hatch Act violations were
found to be minor.
The Senate Rules Committee
and its Stennis Subcommittee
held hearings last April and May.
They revised the measure and
wrote in section giving. in effect,
the right of party activities to
Government workers in the vir-
ginia and Maryland suburbs of
the National Capital.
This plan, strongly supported by
Senators Tydings of Maryland
and Byrd and Robertson of vir-
ginia. Democrats, was adopted by
the Senate January 10.
Hearing Critics Answered.
Answering protests of the non
partisan" groups that they had
not been permitted to testify,
Senator Stennis yesterday noted
that his Senate subcommittee
hearings had been announced and
that six witnesses appeared at
last years hearings.
Harley M. Williams. head of the
Arlington Better Government Lea
que, said all six witnesses were
proponents of the change and
insisted that opponents had not
been given adequate notice.
+ Chairman Stennis listed the. fol-
lowing who had testified, Sena-
tor Robertson and Representative
Smith, Democrats, of Virginia;
Charles r. Fenwick, a Democratic
member of the Virginia State
Senate, from Arlington; c. Harri-
son Mann, chairman of the Ar
lington County Democratic Com
'mittee; J. Bond Smith, chairman
of the Montgomery County Demo-
cratic Central Committee, and
Conrad H. Reid. an Arlington
County Democrat.