Evening star., 1951-12-01
McGrath Tells Probers
He's Ready 10 Testify
AT Public Hearing
Two Republicans Seek
To Quiz Attorney General
On Tax Frauds Policy
BY the Associated Press

| Attorney General McGrath says
he would be delighted" to testify
publicly before a House Ways and
Means Subcommittee probing re-
ports of corruption and irregulari-
ties in the Nations tax-collection
system.
This was his answer last night
to demands by two Republican
members of the investigating
group that he be called for ques-
tioning about the Justice Depart
ment's policy in prosecuting tax
fraud cases.
Representatives Kean of New
Jersey and Byrnes of Wisconsin
also said they wanted to ask Mr..
McGrath about testimony given
by T. Lamar Caudle, recently
ousted Assistant Attorney General,
who directed the Justice Depart
ment's tax fraud prosecutions.
Wants Hearing to Be Public.
In a statement issued by the
department last night, Mr.. Nc
Grath said he would be delighted
to appear before the House COM
mittee at any time, provided he
was given a public hearing.
Mr.. McGrath added:
1T was my belief when I said
on November 25 I would give the
committee my complete co-opera-
ton and would personally direct
the departments activities, that
the committee would feel free to
consult with me on all these mat
ters.
II am disappointed that this
has not been done"
In the November Is statement
to which he referred Mr.. McGrath
said he would give the committee
information on any past case
about which it had a complaint.
The subcommittee hearings,
recessed Unexpectedly yesterday,
are to resume Monday, with Mr..
Caudle scheduled to return for
further questioning. He had been
in the witness chair all week until
yesterday.
Fired for Outside Activities.
President Truman fired Mr..
Caudle two weeks ago for "out-
side activities" deemed incompat-
ible with his official duties.
! Both Mr.. Kean and Mr.. Byrnes
said Mr.. McGrath should be sum-
moned for questioning about testi-
mony relating to tax fraud case
against two New Workers, Samuel
Aaron and Jacob Freidus. Both
were sentenced to Jail after an
October, 1850, trial.
Adrian DeWind, committee
counsel, previously had said he
had seen anonymous letters in
Justice Department files limiting
at an attempted "fix" in the
Aaron-Friedus case. He added he
was intensely interested in the
situation as it affects Justice De-
partment tax prosecutions.
Mr.. Caudle acknowledged in his
testimony that he received q
$4,000 commission last year ON
the sale of a $4,000 airplane tc
Larry Knoll of New York, pri.
vate investigator for Aaron anc
Freidus at the time their tax tria
was pending.
Mr.. McGrath told him it woulc
, be all right for him to do so, Mr.
! Caudle said. Mr.. McGrath late!
said he had approved because Mr.
Caudle had assured him that tn.
.. Government was not involved II
any way.
Statement on Policy Sought.
MIR. Kean told reporters h,
2 wanted to ask Mr.. McGrath abou
+ the commission, adding the At
! torney General implied that MI
!, Caudle did not tell him all abou
the payment. Mr.. Caudle, how
/ ever, said he did.
The two Republican committe
D members also said that Mr.. Nc
Grath should be asked for a full
! statement on the Justice Depart
ment's policy of letting men un
lder indictment escape prosecution
ION account of Illness"