Evening star., 1952-12-05
Probers Hit Standards
OF federal Attorneys,
Demand Sitter Laws
By the ASsocioted Press

Congressional investigators have
called for higher moral standards
backed by sitter laws-to curl
what they termed the Washing.
ton conscience" among some Gov.
ernment attorneys.
In a bristling report released
yesterday, the House judiciary
subcommittee investigating the
Justice Department said "it j:
time for drastic measures" wher
lawyers "who have the United
States itself as their client lapse
into practices such as fee-split.
ting, bribe- taking and double
dealing"
Far too many of our Govern
ment leaders have suffered from
Washington conscience" the re-
port added. "This unpardonable
justification that everybody is
doing it. must be stopped"
In the report, the seventh OF
a series, the lawmakers specifically
exempted Attorney General Nc
Granery from any blame in what
they called a wholly shameful'
situation in the department in
past years.
While asking for tighter laws
on bribery. gratuities and "kick-
backs" the committee declared
that statutory sanctions alone are
not sufficient without a high level
|of ethics.
No Criminal Intent.
Most of the questions involving
conflicts of interest do not in
volve criminal intent and cannot
be answered by reference to the
laws themselves" the report said.
"They depend on fine demarca-
tionS in the realm of ethics
which in turn depend on clear,
firm policies within the depart
ment ITSELF"
Under present law, officers and
employees of the Government can
not prosecute claims against the
Government or accept compenSa-
ton for acting in any case in
which the Government has an in
terest. A former Government
|employe also may not act on any
case in which he was directly con-
|nected for at least two years after
leaving his Government job.
The legislators called for a
complete ban-not just two years
on actions by former Govern
ment officials on cases with which
they were connected before leav-
ling Federal service.
The lawmakers also recon-
mended IAN absolute rule" on
gifts and favors going to officials
from persons with whom they deal
officially: No gifts and favors at
all.
Attorney Cited.
AS fair example of the diff
culties that arise when ethical
standards are loosely imposed,
the subcommittee cited the &C
tions of James A. Mutually. a for
mer Justice Department attorney
Mr.. Mutually resigned earlier
this year as a lawyer in the JUS
tice Department Criminal Divi-
sion after being suspended pend
ing an investigation of his
outside activities" The subcom-
mittee said he had accepted a
fee in connection with a Govern
ment case against the Carnation
Milk Co.
The milk company was found
! by the Food and Drug Admins
tration to be shipping deficient
product in interstate commerce
in the fall of 1945.
Mr.. Mullally's part in the case
the subcommittee said. was ir
recommending to Carnation a firm
of former Government attorney:
as legal counsel in its effort tC
prevent the case from coming tt
trial. Mr.. Mullally's Shocking
Improperly" investigators added
was then accepting a check fol
$3.50 from Gordon Eakle of the
firm of Hayes. Eakle & Goldstein
Which was paid a fee of $4,000
| by Carnation for having the case
Withdrawn over protests of the
Food and Drug Administration.
Action Defended.
Mr.. Mutually commented on the
report as follows:
The Chelf Committee in its
report concludes that there was
nothing improper as to the hand
ling or dismissals of the Carnation
Milk Co. case, and it properly
concludes that I had nothing
whatever to do with the case while
it was pending in the Department
of Justice.
although the report charac-