Evening star., 1950-12-21
D. {. Wire-1ap Bill
Cleared for Action by
Committee Today
By Robert K. Welsh

A wire-tapping control bill for
the District with a report attack
ing some individuals and urging
Stricter safeguards against
patent and palpable abuse of
privacy" was to come up for
Senate District Committee action
today. |
The patent and palpable"
phrase was uttered by Senator
Pepper, Democrat, of Florida, af-
ter a subcommittee late yester-
day unanimously approved the
proposed measure and recon-
mendations.
AS chairman of the subcom-
mittee that held 1S hearings in
the overlapping investigation it
launched last summer, he said
the series Of recommendation"
would not be disclosed until after
the full committee meeting this
afternoon.
He said he preferred not to
comment until then on whether
the report suggests that police
trial board action be brought
against 1t. Joseph w. Shimon be-
cause of his admitted tapping
activities. The Senator also re-
fused to say whether the report
would propose contempt of Con-
gress action against any, of the
witnesses heard last summer.
Pledged to Silence.
Asked what the report says
about the United States At
torney's Office here and Senator
Brewster. Republican, of Maine,
the subcommittee chairman OBJ
served that he had been pledged
to silence at this time"
At hearing earlier yesterday,
he declared he was "at loss to
understand" why the Office of
United States Attorney George
Morris Fay did not get an my
dictment for conspiracy because
Of admitted wire tapping by 1t.
Shimon and two other policemen.
who testified they tapped wires
at the direction of 1t. Shimon.
1t. Shimon, formerly assigned
to the United States attorneys t
office and row at No, 2 precinct,
had testified he tapped wires on y
several occasions and in several t
places here in 1947.
Senator Brewster told reporters
last summer he authorized pay {
ment of about $100 or $3.50 in 1947 I
to 1t. Shimon for expenses while {
tracing a man he said was shadow
ing Senator Brewster during Sen ]
ate War Investigating Committee
hearings on the Howard Hughes
war contracts. t
No Word From Brewster.
The subcommittee last week in a
vited the Maine Senator to testify ,
this week. 1t announced yester- |
day 1t received mo word" from
him and assumes he did not wish
to testify"
The subcommittee, however, in ,
formally ending its investigation, 6
disclosed several changes in the Il
bill sponsored by Senators Neely, /
Democrat. of West Virginia, and I
Darby. Republican, of Kansas.
The measure, as sent to the (
full committee for expected ap- {
proval this afternoon, would ban :
wire-tapping in the District by q
any one except District and Fed +
eral law-enforcement officers.
It provides penalties up to 10 .
years in prison and a $4,000 fine. 8
In the case of District law en- o
forcement officers wire-tapping
could be authorized only ''in .
conducting investigations involv- !.
ing safety and human life and
in compliance with an order or
warrant issued by District Court" ,
The subcommittee wrote in a
new section. exempting author
lied agents of the FBI Offices un-
der jurisdiction of the Secretaries
of the Army, Navy and Air Force,
and any telephone or telegraph
company /,
This was In line with sugges-
tions heard at the final public
hearings yesterday, when high Of
ficials of the Defense Department,
Federal Communications Commits
sion, corporation counsels Of
flee and Metropolitan Police De-
partment testified.
Further Study.
Senator Pepper explained this
does not mean the subcommittee i,
sees no need for clearer and
adequate safeguards" surrounding
any overlapping activities by
governmental law enforcement or
counter intelligence agencies. But
such legislation, he said, should
be separate and requires further
study.
The aim of the District SUBJ
committees investigation, Senator
Pepper said, has been mainly to
correct a situation" in the Dis