Evening star., 1950-06-06

The Supreme Court today begar
a four month recess, after major
judgments upholding the Gov.
ernment's paramount rights ovel
oil-rich submerged lands off the
Texas and Louisiana coasts.
Handing down a score of writer
opinions and dozens of other or
ders yesterday, the Justices facec
busy summer weeks of studying is
sues certain to be raised or re-
vived at the term starting the
first Monday in October.
One of these questions will be
the tidelands problem itself
Texas officials, describing yester-
days 4-3 ruling in their case as
terrible" declared they will ask q
rehearing.
Stands BY al Opinion.
In deciding the Texas and LOU
isiana cases-the latter by a To
vote-the court stood by a 1947
opinion in a similar suit affecting
California. That opinion declared
the Government has full do
minion and power" over the Cali
fornia tidelands.
Meanwhile, Texas members o1
Congress served notice they would
press for passage of a pending
bill giving States title to sub
merged off-coast lands. The
House Rules Committee has set d
hearing for next Tuesday to de-
eide whether the bill should be
scheduled for House action at
this session.
An echo of the California suit
fell on deaf ears yesterday, when
the high court refused to allow
former Secretary Ickes to submit
suggestions. Mr.. Ickes last
month requested permission to file
a petition for an investigation of
agreements under which he said
private oil companies are con-
tinuing tideland area operations
under State leases despite the
Supreme Courts judgment in
favor of the Federal Government.
Mr.. Ickes suggested" this action
is. in effect, IAN attempt to strike
down the opinion of the court. "
He urged that Attorney General
McGrath and Interior Secretary
Chapman, as well as California
State officials be ordered to show
cause why the leasing agreements
should not be set aside.
Varied Cases Covered.
The mass of litigation on which
the court wound up its 1949-50
term covered such varied cases as
those involving Edward F. Pritch-
ard, jr., once known as "the boy
wonder of the New Deal; former
Maj. Gen. Bennett E. Meyers. war;
time Air Force deputy purchasing
chief; Mrs. Yvette Madsen, Brook
lyn woman convicted of killing her
American soldier husband in Ger
many: the Virginia State blue
sky law" on securities; exclusion
of Negroes from New York City
housing development. and the
death sentence of seven Virginia
Negroes convicted of rape.
An antitrust case on which the
court heard arguments earlier this
year was put down for re-argu-
ment at the next term. 1t was
the appeal of the Standard Oil
Co. of Indiana from lower court
decision, barring it from selling
gasoline to jobbers at prices lower
than those to retail service sta
tions.
The court also deferred action
in the case of Mrs. Ellen Knauff,
German-born war bride, who,
since 1948, has fought the Justice
Departments efforts to keep her
out of this country as security
risk" Last January the court
voted 4-3 to uphold the exclusion
order issued by the department
without giving her hearing or
disclosing witnesses who repeatedly
gave information against her.
Action Extends Her Stay.
She was about to be placed
aboard a plane for Europe on
May 18 when Justice Jackson is
sued stay so she could appeal
from a lower court ruling author
izing immediate return to Ger
many. She returned to Ellis
Island. The Supreme Courts de-
ferred action yesterday apparently
means she may stay there at least
until October. Meanwhile, a
House-approved bill to permit her
entrance into the United States
Is pending in the Senate.
The non-Communist oath pro-
vision of the Taft-Hartley Act
gained still stronger judicial back
ing when the Supreme Court yes
terday rejected petitions for re-
consideration of its decisions on
May in favor of the requirement.
On the same issue the court also
split A in upholding legality OF
the procedure whereby labor
unions may not have NLRB priVi-
leges unless union leaders swear
they do not believe in communism
The May 8 decisions were in
appeals brought by the CIO United
Steel Workers and the CIO Amer
lean Communications Association
The court at that time ruled 81
that Congress has power to re-
quire such oaths, but divided 3-3
on the belief section"
Votes i'm New York Case.
Yesterdays votes in New York
case were ST. on the overall oath
requirement and "A on the "be-
lief" phase. Justice Minton Joined
Chief Justice VinSon and Justice
Burton in support of that section
while Justice Douglas sided with
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