Evening star., 1951-05-03
'0DWYer 70 Continue
As Envoy, Condemns
Crime Exaggeraiions.

crime investigating COmmlCCeS
tried to discredit him by exag-
|gerating minor and isolated in
|cidentS" of his conduct as Mayor
of New York City.
His critics, he stated last night
in Mexico City. brushed aside his
achievements" in fighting crime
and removing sources of crime. He
declared he has no fear of what
he called a concerted effort "foi
reasons unknown to me" to dis
credit him by inference and in
nuendo on personal basis.
The Senate committee last
Tuesday issued a report contain
ing charges that Mr.. O'Dwyer was
lax in prosecuting big criminals in
New York and in other ways con-
tributed to the growth of organ
lied crime. Several Republican
Senators have demanded that he
resign or be recalled as Ambassa-
dor to Mexico, a position he took
last November.
Governor Den0unces Report.
Gov. Fuller Warren of Florida
another public official criticized in
the committee report, also shot
back today by denouncing the
statements against him as false,
untrue, malicious and cowardly."
He said he was willing to meet
Committee Chairman Kefauver in
a public debate where the Sen
ator would be legally liable for
what he said. Gov. Warren stated
Senator Kefauver's cowardly
attacks upon me were made pur-
suant to a deal he entered into
with political enemies of mine in
Miami, whereby he would smear
me in return for their promise to
try and deliver for him for Presi-
dent the votes of Florida's dele
gates to the Democratic National
GonVenClon next year.
Committee Plans Bills.
Senator Kefauver said in an in
terview in Tennessee last week
that he was not interested in the
presidential nomination.
The committee, under its new
chairman, Senator O'Conor, Dem
ocrat. of Maryland. announced,
meanwhile, that it plans within
a couple of weeks" to introduce
bills to carry out proposed curbs
on underworld syndicateS.
A successor to Rudolph HALEY
as chief counsel of the commit
tee may be selected before the end
of the week. Senator O'Conor
added. Mr.. HALEY returned to
private law practice this week.
Senator Tobey. Republican, of
New Hampshire. a committee
member, wrote in an American
Magazine article today that the
"sadest feature" of the crime in
vestigation was the disclosure of
"collusion and corruption" among
public officials and underworld
leaders. He cautioned against
putting too much faith in Federal
legislation to combat crime. He
urged a real moral and spiritual
rebirth in America"
Mexican Relations Stable.
Ambassador O'Dwyer, who was
not mentioned in Senator Tobey's
article, was referred to yesterday
at Secretary of State Acheson's
news conference. Mr.. Acheson
said relations between the United
States and Mexico have not been
hurt as a result of the commit
tees criticism of Mr.. O'Dwyer.
The statement of Mr.. O'Dwyer
recalled that he had voluntarily
appeared before the committee in
an effort to help in destroying
organized crime"
MY public life is a matter of
record and careful examination
OF that record will refute any at
tempt to associate it with any,
thing that was not for the benefit
OF the people" the statement said.
Out OF all my public career a
few minor and isolated incidents,
by inference, have been blown up
into exaggerated proportions, sur
them with sinister in
and reaching the fan
tastic conclusions that somehow
1 am to blame for not having
wiped out all vice in my COM
for not having removed
the human impulse to gamble, and
for not having eradicated the de-
fects inherent in our political
system"
Transit Group Sought.
While Gov. Warren in Florida
was announcing he would send a
formal challenge to Senator Ke-
fauver for a public debate, State
legislative committee ran into diff
Guilty in trying to serve subpoenas
on three star witnesses.
The Haley committee investigat-
ing evidence of Florida political
corruption sent out subpoenas for
William H. Johnston. Louis E.
Wolfson and c. v. Griffin, report
edly the three big contributors to
Gov. Warren's campaign.
Word came back today that Mr..
Wolfson and Mr.. Johnston were