Evening star., 1950-09-15
Senator 10 Urge
Succession Plan
.AsDefenseStep
Gordon Seeks to Fix
Method Of Replacing
Any Lost U. S. Leaders

action on the plan to get key
operations to safer
locations today proposed other
to deal with the threat
of an enemy attack.
Senator Gordon, Republican, Of
Oregon. said he would introduce
a bill at the next session providing
a method of replacing lost leaders
through a fixed line of succession
and microfilming all essential
Government records.
The dispersal plan, which SEN
ator Gordon blocked yesterday on
q point of order, had been ad-
vanced by the administration as
means of assuring continuous
Government operations in event
Of an A-bomb attack.
Larson Issues Warning.
Rejection of the dispersal plan
brought warning from General
Services Administrator Jess Lar
son that more temporary Govern
ment buildings now might have
to be requested. Under the Gov
ernment's plan, space would have
been provided for 10000 Govern
ment workers in permanent struc-
lures within a 50-mile radius Of
Washington.
Senator Gordon said the Ma
tons resources would be strained
enough in strengthening the radar
screen and an interceptor system
without erecting more buildings
outside Washington.
AS for the argument that key
Government officials should be
safeguarded so the Government
could continue to operate after a
bombing, Senator Gordon de-
clared:
I'VE are as eXpendable as the
boys in Korea. History has DEM
onstrated that none of us is in
dispensable. More people can all
ways be found to take our places"
Will Urge Succession Bill.
He said he was urging a sue
cession bill in case of a holocaust
that might wipe out justices Of
the Supreme Court, members Of
the cabinet, the President and
Congress.
A bill providing a line of sue
cession and other civil defense
precautions has been languish-
ing in the House Judiciary Com
mittee since it was introduced by
Representative Holifield, Demo-
crat, of California.
Mr.. Holifield's bill would create
a commission to investigate what
measures should be taken to as
sure continuous operation Of the
Government in event of enemy at
tack. Among other things, the
proposed commission would study
the problem of succession as well
as an alternate seat of Govern
ment.
NSRB Opposes Step.
The committee said it had asked
for reports from affected agencies.
So far, a committee aide said, the
only comment has come from the
National Security Resources Board,
which said such a commission
would be an undesirable duplica.
ton of function" since NSRB ale
ready has the responsibility for
making such studies.
President Truman's request to
Congress for an appropriation Of
$139.8 million to put four agencies
outside of the city failed to pass
the Senate yesterday despite q
last-minute effort by Senator
AIcKellar, Democrat, Of Tennessee.
The Senate Appropriations Com
which is headed by Sena-
tor McKellar, rejected the request
on Wednesday. Yesterday Sena-
tor McKellar attempted to revive
the item on the floor.
He told the Senate that it was
beaten in a "close vote" in the
committee. The previous impress
sion was that the committee had
not expressed much interest in the
subject.
Gordon Sees "Hysteria."
Senator Gordon raised the point
Of order on the grounds that it
was new legislation tackled on an
appropriation bill. Senator Nc
Kellar then asked the Oregon Re-
publican to withdraw his point Of
order so the matter could be
passed and go to conference with
the House to be settled.
Senator Gordon stated he felt
the whole thing has been formed
in hysteria" and refused to with
draw. Thereupon Senator Thomas.
Democrat, of Oklahoma, who was
in the chair at the time, upheld
Senator Gordon, blocking consid-
Grafton of the item.
The dispersal item, accordingly,
was not in the supplemental
appropriation bill later passed by
the Senate.
Blocks Conferees.
Since the item was not in the
supplemental bill when it was
passed by the House-and the
Senate has rejected it-there is
no way the conferees can take it
up. Dispersal apparently is dead
until it can be reintroduced into
Congress at a later date, prob
ably not before Congress adjourns
in the near future and more likely
after it reconvenes.
Included in the 1898 million
item was $3.3 million to rent
office space for new Government
personnel in conjunction with
National defense needs. The Sem
ate voted SO million on rentals.
Mr.. Larson pointed out that the
dispersal plan ultimately contem-
plates the establishment of a
dozen Government centers out
side the city limits. They would
give Office space to from $4,000
to 100000 Federal workers and