Evening star., 1952-03-08
McGrath Probe Plans
Hit Snag as Truman
Bars 'Dragnet' Use
Study Of Voluminous
Records Would Cost
Millions, President Says
By George Beveridge

House investigators today
sought a new approach to their
probe Of the Justice Department
as President Truman vetoed &C
cess Of voluminous data on the
departments prosecution record
The House Judiciary subcom-
mittee action was forced by a
White House directive, inStructing
all Federal agencies to respect
fully decline" to furnish lists OF
thousands Of cases bearing on the
prosecution question.
Specifically, the House group
in its first investigative move-had
asked the Justice Department for
lists Of all cases during the last
six years in which Cd the depart
ment declined to prosecute cases
referred to it, (2) cases were sent
back to originating agencies OF
CD cases have been pending for
at least q year.
- Authority Questioned.
The request ran into an I'M
mediate hurdle when the Justice
Department refused to comply.
Officials said such q list would
require searches of half a million
filed cases. Further. they ques-
toned authority Of the group to
make. such request.
Mr.. Truman's directive, how
ever, apparently also has shut of
access to such data from other
gencies. Earlier, the subcommit-
tee indicated that the other agen-
cies were complying with its re-
quest.
Mr.. Truman made his position
clear in a letter to Subcommittee
Chairman Chelf. declaring:
II want to make it clear that
I have no wish to obstruct your
subcommittee in any legitimate in
quiry it may wish to make. Il
there is anything wrong In the
Department of Justice, I am Just
as anxious as any one else-prob.
ably more anxious than any one
else-to find out about it and cor.
rect it,"
Report Called Too Broad.
But, he added, the request is CSC
broad and sweeping" that compli-
ance would seriously interfere with
the conduct of Government bust.
ness. Further, he said. such a re.
quest was made on the basis "o1
"a dragnet approach to examining
the administration Of the laws"
Chairman Chelf said he did moi
regard the matter as impossible
of solution" but told reporters
the Presidents action win "affect
or alter" plans to wind up the
probe within six months. He
added:
II am not falling out with hin
because / know that he has done
what he thinks is right.
Some have indicated that oul
committee is out on a fishing ex-
|pedition. Personally I've always
thought that. In the common par
lance Of an old Kentucky adage
the naswer Is well supplied: II
you're gonna shoot ducks yor
gotta 60 where the ducks Is. ."
Keating Assails Action.
Representative Heating Of New
York. ranking Republican sub
committee member. said the Presi
dents directive "at least serves Il
demonstrate to US that no coop
Feration can be expected from tn,
White House in our efforts to in
vestigate the charges of corruption
and inefficiency In the Justice De
|partment."
Mr.. Truman sent all agencie
q copy Of his letter to Mr.. Chelt
along with q brief directive tina
they should not comply with tn
request.
The President said to meet tn
request would take examination
LOT hundreds Of thousands Of dle
would take hundreds Of en-
ployes away from their reglla
duties for an extensive period o
time." and would cost millions o