Evening star., 1950-08-31

JuuIIIdI y UIlH jllClvC
Resolution on Judges
Senator Ferguson, Republican,
of Michigan. said today he would
seek to have the Senate Judiciary
Committee set aside a resolution
it has approved calling for an
investigation of the Competence,
fitness and legal qualifications" Of
all Federal judges.
He announced that intention
as the Capitol was still express
ing surprise and concern over
the actions of the Judiciary Com
mittee in backing the resolution
by a vote of 8 to / Tuesday.
It calls for an inquiry by the
Judiciary group or a subcommit-
tee, with findings to be reported
to the Senate not later than
March Is. 1851.
Even before Senator Ferguson
said he would ask the committee
to drop the matter. several mem
bers said the resolution, in effect,
would be shelved.
These included Senator LANCER,
Republican, of North Dakota. We
introduced a resolution last week
calling for an investigation to
determine whether any Federal
judges were Communists or Com
munist sympathizers and whether
they are still At" because of age
or otherwise to perform their
duties.
Says Point Has Been Won.
Senator LANCER said he would
not press for action since he had
won his point in getting the COM
mittee's approval of revised
resolution calling for an inquiry.
We refused to elaborate on what
the point was but other members
of the committee said the North
Dakota Senator wanted committee
action to investigate some aspects
of the judiciary system.
In saying he would not press
for action on the resolution, Sen
ator LANCER noted that the COM
mite already has authority for
looking into any complaints about
the judiciary.
Senator LANCER set the COM
mittee's actions in motion with
the introduction last week Of a
resolution calling for an investi-
cation of the judiciary after the
Federal Court Of Appeals in San
Francisco had ordered Harry
Bridges, labor leader. freed from
Jail pending an appeal on a per-
jury conviction.
Comment on Bridges.
At that time Senator LANCER
said:
IF the facts In the Bridges
case are as they have been stated
to me, Judges William Orr and
William Healy Ton the San Fran
cisco court) should be impeached
and thrown out of Office. II. on
the other hand, the facts are
otherwise, those judges should be
retained"
The Senator did not elaborate
then or later In an interview
with The Star On the facts" that
had come to his attention.
The COMMITTEES revised his reso-
luton to delet all references to
Communists. One member ex-5
planned that such working was
as an unwarranted re-
f1ection on the Federal judiciary.
Senator Maghuson, Democrat
Of Washington also insisted on
writing in a time limit on the
proposed investigation.
Those For or Against.
Those who voted in the COM
mittee for the investigation were
Senators McCarran OF Arizona ]
the chairman; Kilgore of West
Virginia, Withers of Kentucky,
O'Conor of Maryland and Mag
nuson. Democrats; and Senator's
Donnell of Missouri. Jenner of In
diana and LANCER, Republicans.
Voting against 1t was Senator
Kefauver. Democrat. of Tennes-
see.
-Four members Of the 13-man
committee were not present for
the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Ferguson;
Eastland, Democrat. of Missis-
sippi; Graham, Democrat. of
North Carolina, and Wiley, Re-
publican, of Wisconsin.
Informal Agreement Reached.
Senator Ferguson, however, con-
ferred later with Senator LANCER
and reached an informal agree
ment that the matter would be
dropped.
But that may require a formal
committee vote. Senator LANCER
was authorized to submit the reso-
luton to the Senate and If he
does not do so, Senator Nc
Carran said he would be required
to offer it unless otherwise di-
rected by the committee.
For that reason, Senator
Ferguson said he would move
to have the resolution set aside
on the basis that the proposed
investigation would be unneces-
sary and unwise and would destroy
confidence in the judiciary.
Even if it should be presented
to the Senate the resolution is
given little chance of passage.
American Wife of Consul
- - c.