Evening star., 1952-07-03
Senate Group Hears
Mccarthy Call Benton
Red-Pink Chameleon
By GEORGE Beveridoe


Senator Mccarthy, Republican
|of Wisconsin, charged today that
Senator Benton, Democrat, OF
Connecticut. is a "red-and-pink-
|checkered chameleon" who has
followed the Communist Party
line down to the last comma"
Senator Mccarthy testified be-
fore a Senate Elections subcom-
mittee in support of a resolution
demanding an investigation of the
Connecticut Democrat. ...,r...-,,. ..s
Senator Benton sat at. q side
table and made notes as Senator
Mccarthy began his testimony
Hearings Last Months.
The subcommittee already has
spent months on a resolution by
Senator Benton aimed at expul-
sion of Senator Mccarthy from
the Senate. 1t charges Senator
Mccarthy with perjury, fraud and
deceit in pressing his Communists
in Government charges. In addi-
ton. Senator Mccarthy has filed a
81 million libel Slander suit against
Senator Benton.
Chairman Gillette said the sub
committee would decide "the man
ner and extent, If any" Of a staff
investigation of Senator Benton
after hearing Senator McCarthy's
charges. He said Senator Benton
could testify, but will not be al
lowed to cross-examine Senator
Mccarthy.
Senator Mccarthy said he in
tended only to give the subcom-
mittee leads for an extensive
probe. He stressed that he was
testifying at the committees re-
quest and that his resolution did
not ask Senator Benton's expul-
sion.
II have every confidence the
voters of Connecticut will end the
red-and-pink- -checkered career OF
the chameleon-like man."
Sheltered Z Reds, He Says.
Attacking Senator Benton's ac-
tivities as an Assistant Secretary
of State between 1945 and 1947
Senator Mccarthy charged that
Senator Benton sheltered mo less
than seven" Communists, fellow
travellers or dupes during that
period when he knew of their
records.
Citing instances in which he
said Senator Benton has defended
loyalty suspects, Senator McCar-
thy said he intended Ito show
Mr.. Benton has followed all direc-
tiveS of the Communist Party" and
has followed the party line down
to the last comma and last Pc
riod."
Names Five Employees.
He then began a detailed run
down of cases which he said
showed "a pattern of Benton's
harboring in the State Depart
ment" those named by Senator
Mccarthy during the 1850 Tydings
Committee probe of Communists
in the Government. Among those
he alleged were protected by Sen
ator Benton were:
/. William T. Stone. Senator
Mccarthy said his loyalty was
questioned in 1916, and that he
resigned from the State Depart
ment after being cleared by 9
loyalty board last November.
2. Haldore D. Hanson. Senator
Mccarthy said Mr.. Hanson. who
worked under Senator Benton in
1945. was identified by Louis Bu-
denz, former Red editor, as a for
mer Communist. Tes tim o n y
brought out that Mr.. Hanson, still
a State Department employe, was
cleared by a loyalty board this
year.
3. DR.. Esther Brunauer, who,
Senator Mccarthy said, has been
suspended from her State Depart
ment job. He said Senator Ben
ton once interceded in her behalf
in a loyalty board and strongly
defended her in the 1850 inquiry.
4. Charles A. Thomson, whose
loyalty Senator Mccarthy said has
been questioned in House commit
tee reports. He said Mr.. Thomson
was an adviser to Senator Benton
in the Office of international and
Cultural Affairs. ..
S. Robert T. Miller, who, Sen
ator Mccarthy said, was identified
as having been a Communist in
1941 by Miss Elizabeth Bentley,
self-styled former Soviet courier,
He said Mr.. Miller was permitted
to resign in December. 1916, al
though he assumed Senator Ben
ton had access to the Miller files
before that.