Evening star., 1952-06-19
Campbe||Linked
1oContemptof
Court Action
Arlington Candidate
Called as Witness
In Preachers Case

IN FFe0CneT N0Se
The name of Edmund D. Camp
bell, Democratic candidate for
Congress from Virginia'S 10th dis
trict, today was linked to a sermon
that brought a contempt of court
action against an Arlington min
lister.
Commonwealth Attorney Will
liam j. Hassan yesterday filed a
notice in Arlington Circuit Court
that he would move to amend the
complaint against the Rev. Ross
Allen Weston of the Arlington
Unitarian Church. The minister
is scheduled to appear in court
tomorrow to show cause why he
should not be held in contempt
for a sermon critical of a court
decision.
In his notice, Mr.. Hassan ac-
cuses Mr.. Campbell of delivering
a news release about Mr.. Weston'S
sermon to the Washington Post.
Mr.. Hassan claims that Mr.. Camp
bell read parts of the sermon to a
reporter for The Star. who verified
the account with Mr.. Weston.
Seen as Political Maneuver.
Mr.. Campbell classified the lat
est development in the Weston
case as IAN obvious political ma
neuver on the part of the Arling-
ton commemorative Attorney
who is working for an opposition
candidate"
Il did not knowingly inspire Mr..
Weston's sermon" Mr.. Campbell
said, nor did I or anyone on my
behalf issue any news release on
it to the Washington Post"
Also scheduled to appear in
court on a contempt show-cause
order is Robert w. Cox. chairman
of the Arlington County Board, for
alleged statements made about the
court decision. Mr.. Cox. Fed
eral employe. could be ousted as
a result of the decision.
Mr.. Campbell is defense counsel
for Mr.. Cox. Attorney John Locke
Green of Arlington filed the COM
plants against Mr.. Weston and
Mr.. Cox.
The court decision on May 5
was by Arlington Circuit Judge
Walter T. Mccarthy who upheld
a State law banning Federal en-
ployes from holding certain State
and local offices. He also ruled
that an amendment to the law,
excepting Arlington, violates the
State Constitution.
Basis for Petition.
Mr.. Green's petition and Mr..
Hassan's notice accuse Mr.. Wes-
ton of uttering "contemptuous
and insulting" remarks in ser
mon on May 18. The court action
declares the minister character
lied the court and the decision
"as being influenced by a So
called machine" and as being dl-
rected against a group OF citizens
for political purposes.
Mr.. Campbell also is an at
torney in the case which resulted
in the Mccarthy decision. That
decision has been taken to the
Virginia Supreme Court of Ap-
peals. =.
Commenting on Mr.. HaSsan's
motion today, Mr.. Campbell said:
Every one knows that have Wig
orously disagreed with the decision
of Judge Mccarthy in which he
declares Federal workers are dis
qualified to hold local office and I
firmly believe that minister OF
the gospel has a right to speak the
truth as he sees it from the pulpit
on this or any other subject OF
public interest.
II saw a copy Of the sermon for
the first time on the day after it
was preached when it was sent to
nv Office. A reporter for The Star,
who had been unable to reach Mr..
Weston, made further attempts to
obtain the story and asked me to
read the sermon to him"
Campbell Called as Witness.
A summons was issued for Mr..
Campbell to appear as a witness
II, tho Weston ease
MIR. Hassen commented on the
Campbell statement attributing
the new development to politics.
"Mr. Campbell. himself. was the
first to inject the Mccarthy deci-
sion into politics when he spoke
the following day before the
Arlington Civic Federation" Mr..
Hassen said "he was an assistant
to me in that case and as such
I find his actions distasteful."
Judge Mccarthy and his associ-
ate. Judge William D. Medley,
have disqualified themselves from
sitting on the contempt cases both
of which have been scheduled for
tomorrow.
Mr.. Hassen will prosecute the
Weston case but disqualified him.
self from participating in the trial
of Mr.. Cox. Commonwealth's
Attorney Stanley A. Owens of
Prince William County will handle
the latter case.