Evening star., 1953-01-17
Cabinet
Continued From First Page.)

holdings that would raise any
question about him taking office.
The impasse on the defense
appointments seemed likely to
hold up Senate confirmation on
Tuesday. the day that Gen.
Eisenhower will take the oath
of office. Early hearings are be-
ing held in efforts to clear the
way for Senate approval of the
Eisenhower cabinet on the same
day.
Durkin Clears Hurdle.
Martin P Durkin, American
Federation of Labor official. yes
terday became the fifth of the
nine cabinet appointments to
clear a Senate committee hurdle.
The Senate Labor Committee.
without objections from Senator
Taft. who had voiced disapproval
earlier, voted unanimously to
confirm Mr.. Durkin.
Others who have been ap-
proved are John Foster Dulles
to be Secretary of State, Arthur
Summcrfield for Postmaster
General. Douglas Mckay as Sec
retary Of the Interior and Ezra
Taft Benson to be Secretary of
Agriculture.
Three other appointments are
scheduled to be acted on by the
appropriate Senate committee
Monday. These are Mr.. Brown
ell to be the Nation chief legal
officer, Sinclair Weeks as Secre-
tary of Commerce and George
NJ. Humphrey as Secretary of
the Treasury.
Senator Hunt. Democrat, of
Wyoming. member of the
Armed Services Committee, said
that numerous Federal laws.
some dating back more than 70
years, indicate that no Govern
ment official may hold stock in
a company doing business with
ltle CIONGIIllIlCIlI.
The law said to be particularly
applicable to those named for
the defense posts is section 434
of the United States code. 1t
provides:
Whoever, being an officer,
agent or member of, or directly
or indirectly interested in the
pecuniary profits or contracts of
any corporation. joint stock
company, or association, or of
any firm or partnership. or other
business entity, is employed or
acts as an officer or agent of the
United States for the transaction
of business with such business
entity, shall be fined not more
than $4,000 or imprisoned not
more than two years, or both"
There are a number of other
laws placing limitations against
officials of particular agencies
such as the Federal Reserve
Board, the Atomic Energy Com
mission, the Federal Tariff Com
mission and the Federal Trade
Commission.
Senator Hunt said the hold
ings of Mr.. Wilson were so ex-
tensive that he could not func-
ton or would be seriously handi-
capped in functioning as Secre-
tary of Defense if he stepped
aside from making any decisions
on matters involving contracts
with General Motors and other
companies. Another member of
the committee said that Mr..
Wilson had testified he would
not agree to step aside when
General Motors contracts were
up for decision.
Owns SIS Million in Stock.
Mr.. Wilson has volunteered
to divest himself of any officia
connection with General Motor.
but insists that he must retair
his stock holdings. Committee
members said he testified that ht
holds $2.5 million worth of Stocl
in the company and is entitled
to bonuses totaling more thar
100000 over the next four year!
from General Motors profits.
A Munitions Board report is
sued yesterday showed that Gen
eral Motors has defense contracts
totaling $5.489. 100000. This il
7.8 per cent of the total Of al
defense contracts.
Several Senators who asked
not to be quoted by name sait
they worSd oppose the confrma