Evening star., 1952-04-30
Many Lawmakers Hail
Decision on Seizure;
Other Moves Spurred

Other Moves Spurred
Congress reacted quickly toda!
with generally favorable commen
and some promises of action as {
result of Judge David A. Pines
diciSion voiding seizure of the Stee
mills.
Senate Banking Committe,
Chairman Maybank. Democrat, Of
South Carolina announced he i.
having legislation drafted to make
the ruling absolutely air-tight or
a much broader SCALE" His bill
would ban Federal seizure of pri
vate property without advance
authorization by Congress, he said
But Senate Labor Committee
Chairman Murray, Democrat, o1
Montana declared the President
must be given the seizure power
which District Court says he now
does not have. The power should
be given even if a constitutional
amendment is necessary. Senator
Murray added.
Other Moves Spurred.
Judge Pines opinion also
spurred congressional moves in
other directions. Senator May
bank said his committee would
resume hearings today on whether
to extend wage-price controls
Union and steel industry repre-
sentatives will be heard at the
closed sessions. The committee
stopped hearings three weeks ago
because of controversy over the
seizure order.
Resolutions aimed at impeach-
Ing or cenSuring President Tru-
man are due to come up for a vote
tomorrow in the House Judiciary
Committee. Democratic members
hope to table the resolutions. Re-
publicanS want a subcommittee to
study the proposals.
Some G. o. P. leaders, however,
urged a go-slow approach to the
impeachment idea pending out
come of the Governments ex-
pected appeal from Judge Pines
ruling.
Congress members who had as
sailed the Presidents seizure order
hailed Judge Pines decision as a
great victory for constitutional
liberties. Several suggested that
Mr.. Truman should invoke the
Taft-Hartley Act to halt the strike
Reaction by members of Con-
gress and others, included these
comments:
Bridges Halls Decision.
Senate Republican Leader
Bridges: II do not see how an
objective jurist could have ruled
otherwise. I feel Judge Pine
should be congratulated for his
courage in rendering such a
sweeping decision so promptly"
Senator Willis Smith, Demo-
crat of North Carolina, chairman
OF a Senate Judiciary subcommit-
tee which is investigating the legal
aspects OF the seizure order: 1.-THE
decision is quite understandable
to me because I had not been able
to flnd any warrant in law or in
the provisions Of the Constitution
that could justify any such far
reaching action by the President" :"
Representative Bender, Republi-
can, Of Ohio: Judge Pine has
struck major blow for liberty
Senator Bricker, Republican, of
Ohio. member of the committee,
reported lots of sentiment" for
the Maybank proposal. He added,
however, that "the Administration
has made such a mess of this steel
case the country has lost con-
f1dence in the men who are run
ming the wage and price control
program.
Senator Moody, Democrat, of
Michigan, another member of the
committee. said he is confident the
controls program will be extended
by Congress.
Taft Not Surprised.
Chairman Taft of the Senate
Republican Policy Committee: "I
am not surprised. I have said
that if the legal question of the
Presidents seizure of the steel
mills could ever be squarely raised,
it would be hard to see how any
court could decide in favor of
the alleged inherent power of
the executive to seize private
property"
Senator Ferguson, Republican,
OF Michigan: The decision will
go a long way toward restoring
the idea that this is a Govern
ment OF laws and not of men.
1t underscores the fact that the
divine right of kings doctrine
went out the window when our
Constitution was adopted long
ago"
Senator Hoey, Democrat, of
North Carolina: "The President
should invoke the Taft-Hartley
law to keep the steel mills operat-
ing through an injunction"
House Republican Leader Mar
tin: This makes us all feel a
little better"
Representative Halleck of In
diana. assistant Republican lead
er:: The President should use the
Taft-Hartley Act and bring back
into play the forces of collective
bargaining without governmental
compulsion."
Representative Keating, Repub-
lican, of New York: II hope the
President makes immediate use of
the Taft-Hartley law to prevent
any cessation of steel production. !"
Putnam Disturbed.
Economic Stabilizer Roger Put
nam: Il am very disturbed from
the mobilization and defense point
OF view because we need the steel