Evening star., 1950-11-24
Ferguson Hits Group
Probing U. 5. Crime
For Failure 10 Die'
BY the Assoeiosed Press

Senator Ferguson, Republican,
of Michigan. criticized the Senate
Crime Investigating Committee
today for what he called its fail
ure to dig deeply enough into
criminal activities.
He told a reporter the commit
tee headed by Senator Kefauver,
Democrat. of Tennessee, so far has
touched only on "generalitieS
which are known" widely, 81 don't
believe it has gone deep enough
or been specific enough" he said.
But Senator Hunt, Democrat,
of Wyoming. member of the
committee. retorted in another in
terview that results speak louder
than words"
You know what happened. in
Florida" Senator Hunt said, re-
ferring to the suspension of five
Florida sheriffs since the COM
] mittee held hearings in Miami
last July. The sheriffs were re-
moved for alleged failure to en-
force gambling laws.
Tax Chief Replies.
The crime probers came under
fire from another official source
George j. Schoeneman, Federal
commissioner of internal reve-
nue., said last night that their
criticism of his bureau is. wholly
unwarranted."
In statement, Mr.. Schoene-
man challenged Senator Kefauver
to offer "any evidence which his
committee has uncovered which
would lead to a Federal indict-
ment for tax evasion or dis
closure of criminal conduct on
the part of any bureau e.nploye
which is not already in the hands
of Investigators"
Winding up San Francisco
hearings by his crime committee
on Wednesday. Senator Kefauver
had called for a speedy investi-
cation of the Mountain City Con-
solidated Copper Co. of Nevada.
Dummy" Charges Laid.
A former internal revenue
agent had testified that the COM
pany is a dummy stock outfit run
by Treasury Department agents.
The witness, William Burkett,
said racketeers and others with
income tax troubles escape pen
alties to the government by
buying stock in the company. |
Mr.. Burkett, a former special |
agent in the revenue bureaus
Intelligence unit, said he had an
affidavit from Gertrude Jenkins,
convicted abortionist, saying she
paid $4,000 to Patrick Mooney.
former internal revenue collector
in Reno to escape tax prosecution.
The affidavit said the money
was presumably for stock in the
Mountain City company. but she
received no stock.
Declaring that Senator Kef-
auver's committee stepped into
this matter in the midst of an
intensive investigation of it," Mr..
Schoeneman said that sit takes
more than idle rumors and the
unverif1ed mumblings of dis
gruntled former employe to pro-
duce indictments 4
Ferguson Sought Berth.
Senator Ferguson, who once
served as "one-man grand jury"
and turned up corruption in
Detroit's city government, had
hoped for place on the Kefauver
committee.
The way the committee was set
up blocked him from getting 1t.
Some Republicans claimed that
this was done deliberately by
administration Democrats.
Senator Wiley, Republican, of
Wisconsin a member of the
committee, has complimented
Kefauver's work as chairman and
some Republicans have said their
party benefited in the election
from the committees investiga-
tions.
The date now set for the COM
mittee to finish its inquiry is
February %. Senator Kefauver
said before he left for the West
Coast that he would not object to
continuing the committee month
or two beyond that. He said, how
ever, he was opposed to any pro-
longed extension.
According to Senator Kefauver,
the primary purpose of the COM
mittee is to establish the general
outline of crime and then, on the
basis of that information, recon-
mend Federal legislation to deal
with criminals using the channels
of interstate commerce.
UEDTISENTENJT