Evening star., 1951-05-13
Nimitz, 7 Others
Leave Internal
Security Board
Resign After Failure
To Exempt Them
From Conflict Law
By l. Edgar Primo

! L AIN y" "1l1CC 44OuoC JCoLCIO Ody dll-
nounced the designations of Ad-
miral Chester w. Nimitz and
seven of eight other members Of
the Presidents Commission on In
ternal Security and Individual
Rights.
Refusal of the Senate Judiciary
Committee to approve legislation
exempting commission members
from the conflict of interests"
laws led to the designations.
Under these statutes, an indi-
vidual is forbidden to hold Fed
eral position while doing business
with the Government or repre-
senting clients before its agencies.
Several commission members are
lawyers and businessmen who
have dealings with the Govern
ment.
President Truman said that he
was holding the designations in
allegiance until the Senate Com
mittee, headed by Senator McCar-
ran, Democrat of Nevada, acted
on his request to reconsider it's
action of April 30, when it voted,
6 to 8. to deny exemptions to
the NimitZ commission and its
staff.
McCarran in Nevada.
The White House released a
letter sent yesterday by Mr.. Tru-
man to Senator McCarran in
which the President asked that
the committee reverse itself so
that the commission can "effec-
lively perform" it's duties. The
House already has passed the
special exemption legislation.
Senator McCarran, who is in
Nevada, could not be reached
Immediately for comment. But he
has made it clear he thinks the
conflict of interests statutes
should apply to the Nimitz group
as well as to any one else. The
Judiciary Committee meets regu-
larly on Monday, but tomorrow's
session has been postponed pend
ing the chairman's return.
Senator Ferguson, Republican,
OF Michigan, one of the Judiciary
. members who voted against ex-
! emptions, indicated there was
=, little hope for a reversal. He
> told The Star:
This business of requesting
exemptions every time a new
: commission is set up is becoming
:, one of the serious things in Gov
= = ernment. If everyone is going
to be exempted, perhaps Congress
ought to repeal the law.
Opposed to Exceptions.
Surely out of $50 million peo-
pie, the President can find COM
Ipetent individuals who do not
. have a conflict of interests. We
. are seeing in the RFC investiga-
> ton what influence can do to
the moral fibre of Government" "
The Michigan Republican who.
like Senator McCarran, often has
been critical of the Administra-
tion's efforts to rid the Federal
> payroll of subversives, said that
: neither he nor other committee
members had any objection to the
commission members as individ-
uals.
Its just that this exemption
thing finally came to head with
the Nimitz board" he added.
Joe Davis, Judiciary Commit
!, tee clerk, said that the committee
never has approved exemptions
for Specific individuals in spe-
!, cific instances" He pointed out
that the present legislation would
grant exemptions to members of
the commission staff. individuals
who have not yet been hired and
who are unknown to the COM
mittee.
Firestone Only One Left.
The Nimitz Commission is a
nine-member body directed to
make recommendations concern
ling the problems involved in pro-
viding for internal security while
!; at the same time protecting per-
; Sonal freedoms.
:. The only member who has not
quit is Harvey Firestone, jr, rub
ber industry leader. The White
House indicated the only reason
he has not submitted his resigna-
ton is that he is abroad.
Other members of the commits
sion are Miss Anna Lord Strauss,
vice chairman, former president of
the League of Woman Voters; the
Rev. Karl Morgan Block, Episco-
pal Bishop of California; the Rt.
Rev. Emmett M. Walsh, Roman
Catholic coadjutor Bishop of