Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-01-31
Issue on Fi|esRises
Over Confirmation
OF :BedeII Smith

access to the files of secret Gov
eminent investigating agencies
faces President Eisenhower.
The Senate Foreign Relations
Committee decided yesterday to
ask the Federal Loyalty Review
Board for testimony given to it
by Gen.. Walter Bedell Smith,
retiring head of the Central In
telligence Agency, about John
Patton Davies, jr., a State De-
partment foreign service officer.
The committee is considering
the nomination of Gen. Smith
to be Undersecretary of State.
The committee apparently de-
cided to seek all available infor-
nation on Gen. Smiths part in
the Davies investigation to be
prepared for any discussion of
that matter which might arise
on the Senate floor.
Truman Usually Refused.
Former President Truman fire.
quently faced Congressional de-
mands for secret files, and nearly
always turned them down on the
ground that releasing them would
destroy the usefulness of the in
vestigating agencies.
Mr.. Davies long has been under
attack by Senator Mccarthy.
Republican. of Wisconsin, and
the Senate Internal Security
subcommittee. Gen. Smith has
stated he considers Mr.. Davies
patriotic and efficient officer.
The Loyalty Review Board re-
Gently upheld the State Depart
ment Loyalty Board in clearing
Mr.. Davies of allegations of dis
loyalty. He has returned to his
job as a political adviser to
American occupation authorities
in Western Germany.
Request Not Acted On.
The Internal Security sub
committee last year asked the
Justice Department to try to
indict Mr.. Davis for perjury, but
it has refused to do so. The
issue involved the question of
whether Mr.. Davis lied to the
subcommittee in denying that
he recommended the Central In
telligence Agency hire persons
described as Communists. Mr..
Davis has insisted he recon-
mended the CHA utilize such per-
sons, but not employ them.
Chairman Wiley said the For
eign Relations Committee also
has asked the Internal Security
subcommittee for any testimony
it has taken from Gen. Smith.
COnant Hearing Set.
The Foreign Relations group
also decided yesterday to hold a
closed hearing at 10 am. Mon
day on the nomination of James
B. Conant, retiring head of Har-
ward University, to be High Com
missioner to Germany.
Senator Wiley said several per-
sons or groups have asked to
appear against Mr.. Conant, but
he would not identify them.
There have been reports of pos
sible opposition to Mr.. Conant
because Of a speech last year
which was construed by some
Catholics as an. attack on paro-
chial schools. - aa&
Senator Smith, Republican, of
New Jersey, a member of For
eign Relations, predicted both
Gen. Smith and Mr.. Conant will |
be confirmed with little diff
Guilty.
The Foreign Relations Com
mittee has not fixed a date for
the hearing on the Smith nomi-
nation. 1t expects an answer
from the White House early next
week on its request for the 10y
atty Review Board testimony.
Others Confirmed.
Meanwhile, the Senate late
yesterday confirmed several more |
high ranking Eisenhower ap-
pointmentS. They are:
Roger M. Kyes, retiring as
vice president of the General
Motors Corporation, to be Dep
uty Secretary of Defense.
Mrs. Oswald B. Lord of New
York, to be United States Rep
resentative on the Human Rights
Commission of the United Ma
tons.
Herman Phleger of California.
to be, legal adviser to the State
Department. ~''-H
H. Brian Holland of Massa-
chusetts and Warren Olney III,
OF California. to be Assistant
Attorneys General. 4
Stephen F. Dunn Of Michigan,
to be general counsel to the