Evening star., 1951-01-02
Senator'S Urge
Citing Of Shimon
And Grunewa|d
Bon on Unauthorized
Wire Topping Asked
By Committee
By Don S. Worren

4lic ocIldtc DlStIlCI OOInInlbCce,
in a last-minute burst of action
before the end of the 81st Con-
gress. moved today to ban wire
tapping, except when officially
authorized, and to punish two
figures in its sensational inquiry
of last year.
Specifically. the committee, act
ing on recommendations of a sub
committee, voted unanimously to
seek from the Senate a citation
for contempt against Henry w.
cThe Dutchman) Gruenwald, once
a mysterious and missing witness,
for refusal to answer questions by
the subcommittee.
The full committee adopted, also
unanimously. a subcommittee rec
ommendation that Metropolitan,
Police 1t. Joseph w. Shimon, an
ace detective and admitted wire
Taper, be placed on trial before
the Police Trial Board.
Suspension Move Dropped.
The full committee. however,
left out of it's report a recon-
mendation that 1t. Shimon be
suspended pending trial board ac-
tion. This was done at the in
stance of Senator Hendrickson,
Republican, of New Jersey, a
member of the subcommittee that
conducted the inquiry.
In third step, the full COM
mittee unanimously recommended
enactment of a widely discussed
new bill by Chairman Neely and
former Senator Darby, Republi-
can, of Kansas as recently modi-
fed, which makes wire tapping by
police officers felony under heavy
penalties except in a limited field
and this when. authorized by a
judge of the District Court.
The FBI and intelligence agen-
cies OF the armed forces, as well
as authorized telephone and tele-
graph company agents, are specif-
ically exempted from the pro-
posed ban on eayesdropping.
While the committee members
also had considered the need of a
national bill dealing similarly
with wire tapping. this was not
within the scope of the Senate
District Committee and it made
no statement on the national
phase of the question.
No Action Expected Today.
What wire tapping that could
be done by local law enforcement:
agencies here would be restricted
to cases wherein they were con-
Quoting Investigations Involving
the safety of human life. and
then when it was done in compli-
ance with an order or warrant is
sued by the United States District
Court. for which the bill provides
a procedure.
The old Congress dies at mid
night tonight and Chairman Neely
and Senator Pepper, Democrat, of
Florida, the latter the chairman
of the Wire Tapping Investigating
and Committee. did not expect any
action to be taken today.
Even if the Senate could act on
the bill today. it would be more
or less lost motion, except as a
declaration of sentiment, since the
House District Committee has
given no official consideration to
overlapping legislation.
However, Senator Neely said he
felt sure the Senate District Com
mittee in the new Congress would
renew it's interest in the bill, which
would be reintroduced. Commit
tee members assume that the COM
mittee, when the new Senate is
ready for action. would again re-
port the bill to the Senate.
Asked about the committees
recommendation on 1t. Shimon.
Police Chief Robert j., Barrett
said he would propose to the COM
missjoners that a civilian trial
board hear the Shimon case rath-
er than the usual board of police
officers. Otherwise, he said, DO
lice officials would be put on the
spot and no matter what the out
come Of the trial, they would be
subjected to criticism.
Questioned by Grand Jury.
Both 1t. Shimon and Mr.. Grune-
wald have been questioned by the
District grand jury. While 1t.
Shimon has frankly told the SEN
ate District Committee, and pre-
sumably also the grand jury, of
numerous instances in which he
tapped private telephone wires, no
indictment resulted. The Senate
committee report on wire tapping
brought out that one of the ques-
tions involved was whether any of
the information he and his police
assistants obtained from tapped
wires had been divulged to others.
Mr.. Grunewald, after being
sought for some time by WASH
ington police and the FBI. finally