Evening star., 1951-12-13

. each and were released.
he must have been right in max
ing the appointment.
When the President was asked
If he would cite some examples Of
: the drastic" action he had taken
he said firmly that he would. and
in quick order recited that the
t internal revenue collectors in Bos-
ton, st. Louis and San Francisco
: had been fired before their cases
: came under congressional inquiry.
In each instance. he repeated
these cases had been taken in
hand by the executive branch OF
the Government and that was the
way it should be.
\ Then the President went on to
recall the Communists in Govern
ment furor some time ago and said
that he had devised loyalty set
up to handle that. Then he said
the Communists ca reference to
the New York trial of II top Com
munists, presumably were tried
and convicted by the Attorney
General and that is the way it
should be.
Statement Challenged.
Raymond P. Brandt, a reporter
for the st. Louis Post-Dispatch,
challenged the President about
the case of the st. Louis collector,
James P. Finnegan. The reporter
said the case was under investiga-
/ tion by Congress before the White
House acted. Mr. Finnegan since
has been indicted.
The President eountered
promptly with a denial, declaring
that he had been trying to get
Mr.. Finnegan's resignation for
some time before it was submitted,
but that it was difficult.
The President asked the report
er what he'd do in a case like
that and Mr.. Brandt drew laughter
when he retorted, What would
I do about Finnegan?"
Mr.. Truman responded caus-
tically that he knew what the
Post-Dispatch would do about any
Democrat and Mr.. Brandt coun-
tered by saying the Post-Dispatch
would do the same about a Demo-
crat or a Republican.
/ Mr. Truman, who often has been
at odds with the st. Louis paper
in his long political career, said
he doubted that, remembering a
st. Louis Mayor whom he said the
Post-Dispatch loved very much.
Refers to COP Mayor.
The reference was to a former
Republican mayor of the Missouri
metropolis.
Another reporter. seeking to-
clarity the Presidents future
course, wanted to know if he was
indicating that he would proceed
with any investigation he would
make through regular channels.
Mr.. Truman said that he hadn't
said that He added that he had
said the executive would do what
should be done and that he would
have to take his time about it.
The President counseled pa
tience and said that he would do
something later, perhaps this
week. He said also that new
legislation might be required.
Asked about Chairman McKin-
ney's statement that the Presi-
dent was angry because he felt
that he had been sold down the
river, Mr.. Truman asked. well,
who wouldn't be angry at disclos-
ures about men who had taken an
oath of Office.
Asked if he had reference to 7.
Lamar Caudle, the Assistant AZ
Itorney General who was fired for
outside activities" Mr.. Truman
said that he had reference to-
everybody.
McGrath Statement Cited.
1t was pointed out to the Presi-
dent that when Mr.. McGrath was
testifying before the House prob
ers, he said that he had seen
nothing wrong in anything Mr..
Caudle had done. The PRESIDENT
came back strongly to declare that
he didn't believe that any key of-I
fetal in the Government had al
right to take an outside job. Hel
said that that was unethical andl
Iif person wanted this extra emil
ployment he should keep out of
the Government. That situation.|
he said, was one he intends to dol
something about.
The President got back on thel
Caudle subject and said that hel
was ready to fire the Assistant
Attorney General before he did. AS
the President phrased it, he had
been on Mr.. Caudle for long
time.
When a reporter recalled that
Mr.. McGrath was surprised by
the Caudle custer, Mr. Truman
retorted that he doesn't keep
books for the Attorney General,
that he keeps them for himself.
Another reporter wanted to
know why the President thought
that there had been such a furry
of wrongdoing il the Internal
Revenue Bureau and wondered
how people who fall into evil ways
get into the Government.
Under Constant Watch.
Mr.. Truman disputed the con-
tention that there was more
wrongdoing than ever. He said
there are more people in the
bureau and he added that the or
ganization had been under con-
stant watch.
The President also said he'd
like to know how crooks get into
bank and then rob the bank.
Mr.. Truman also said that
whenever anybody in the Gov
ernment has gone wrong he has
had thorough cooperation from
some one on the outside.
The President also said he was