Evening star., 1951-07-08
Crime

Stl1uS
Continued From First Page.)
the question of constitutional i'm
munity."
He pointed out that honest,
upright citizens everywhere. in
Guiding governors and other high
public officials" have volunteered
testimony and added:
I'VE offer to convene the COM
mittee or a subcommittee for the
purpose of taking your testimony
in Florida -"
Answer Sought from Governor.
Senator O'Conor said this
would be done, if Gov. Warren
would consent to testify, at pub
lie session at any time or place
before the July 19 deadline of
the committees subpoena.
Senator O'Conor asked Gov.
Warren to inform him if he
would testify at Florida hearing
or whether he intends to continue
to rely on his claim Of "consti-
tutional immunity as a means of
avoiding testifying before this
committee" One Of the reasons
given earlier by Gov. Warren for
returning the committees sub
poena was the inconvenience it
would cause him in coming to
Washington.
He said such action would de-
prive him Of freedom of action
! in the performance of his duties
as Governor and would establish
a precedent for such action on the
part of congressional committees
in the future"
! In reply to this Senator O'Conor
wrote that the committee believes
that, as a matter of law, Congress
has the constitutional power tt
summon a Governor to testify be.
fore it on interstate matters"
Text of O'Conor Letter.
The text Of the O'Conor letter
i I'VE have your letter announc.
ing that you will not respond tt
l the subpoena. which had thu
Unanimous approval Of this com
mittee. calling upon you to testif!
in Washington on July 8, 1851. Tht
!. committee believes that, as mat
ter of law. Congress has the
constitutional power to summon
a Governor to testify before 1t o,
L. interstate matters. In fact, you
!. memorandum of law, submitted
with your recent letter, concedei
that this committee has the powe,
to issue such a subpoena to ,
Governor.
However, the committee doe
. not intend to engage in a contro
versy with you at this time on tn
question of constitutional immun
ity. We are equally jealous II
give every recognition to the SOY
, ereignty Of the States and hav
no desire to interfere with tn
functions Of a Governor in tn
> performance Of his official duties
Crime Is Main Issue.
! Your claim of immunity mus
! not divert attention from the mali
issue, namely, the operations o
! organized gangster syndicates Il
I interstate commerce and use O
f their illegal gains to corrupt pub
! lie officials.
"The evidence received by thi
/ committee, from numerous sources
= shows open and widespread gam
bling and other unlawful activi
ties in Florida, and operation an
;. control of these activities by gang
i sters from other States throug
e the channels of interstate com
d merce. The evidence also show
e that these interstate operation
= have been conducted with tn
n knowledge Of law enforcement OF
h f1cers, many of whom have becom
d rich in jobs paying only moderat
salaries. Many of these official
a under the Florida constitution
Il have been and are ultimatel
d responsible to you as Governor.
e THE American people, as we
2, as the people of Florida, are vita
ly concerned with organized II
d terstate crime wherever it man
e tests itself, and this committt
IS is seeking to obtain the informs
= ton you profess to have or are a
1t legged to have regarding crime
Florida and in other States. Yc
have issued many statements n
Y, garding these matters but none !
= far has been in the form of test
ID mony at hearing under oath.
1t "It has been the experience
al this committee that honest, VI
lg right citizens everywhere, inclu'
1t ing governors and other high pul
:" lie officials, have been willing al
l. ready. and, in fact, have soug
to testify freely under oath r
ry garding their knowledge of crir
a inal activities, with a view to hel
IN ing the committee in it's sear'
q for a solution to the problem.
at Subpoena Date Extended.
by 1.-THE committee came to Flori
Is, in June and issued three urge
*, invitations to you to testify b
fore it. These you declined
It's the ground that you needed
nd rest. The committee then issu
on a subpoena calling upon you
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