Evening star., 1953-02-01
BrowneII Criticizes
Truman on PardOns,
Outlines New Rules
By the A.seeiasad Pres,

By the Associeisd Press
Attorney General Browne1l
took an implied crack at the
Truman Administrators pardon
policy yesterday, and announced
that President Eisenhower will
follow a "goldf1sh-bowl" policy.
Mr.. Brownell declared that
President Truman granted 26
pardons and two combinations
between Election Day and in
auguration, seven of them with
out any recommendation for
clemency from his pardon at
torney.
Mr.. Brownell declared:
"Henceforth all pardons and
combinations will be a matter
Of public record. The names Of
persons recommending the par
dons and communications will also
be a matter of public record.
This new policy was approved by
President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Under the new policy, the
Department of Justice will main
tain a record of all pardons and
communications granted in the fu-
ture, which will be open to in
spection by Congress-, the press
and others who have legitimate
interest"
Policy ReverSes.
This is reversal of policy fol-
lowed for a number of years.
The Government has taken the
position that, generally speak
ing, it would not announce par
dons except in response to spe-
cif1c inquiries from reporters.
Thus in many cases nothing
was known about pardons until
a tip from the ex-convict's home
town or elsewhere sent reporters
to officials to inquire about it.
In most cases names of persons
recommending the pardon were
not announced.
Mr.. Brownell isued a state
ment which he said was
prompted by an inquiry from
Senator Williams, Republican, Of
Delaware, as to how many par
dons President Truman had
granted between November 4,
1852 and January 20, 1858. SEN
ator Williams was a key figure
in uncovering scandals in the
Internal Revenue Bureau, and
also has criticized the Truman
administration on other scores.
2 UnrecOmmended PardOns.
Mr.. Brownell. saying he had
been asked whether the pardon
attorney recommended clemency
In all cases, stated:
"Clemency was not recon-
mended by the pardon attorney,
Mr.. Daniel Lyons, in seven
cases."
Mr.. Lyons acted as Mr.. Tru-
mans pardon attorney. Although
the pardon attorney has an Office
In the Justice Department, his is
independent of it and is respon-
sible to the President.
The seven cases in which, Mr..
BroWnell said. the pardon at
torney made no clemency rec
ommendation were:
William r. Johnson, Lombard.
III, sentenced in 1910 to five
years for income tax law viola
ton. Began serving term March
13, 1916, was paroled November
80, 1948 and pardoned by Mr..
Truman last December "a.
Former Representative An
drew j. May, Democrat, of Ken
tucky, sentenced to eight months
to two years for accepting bribes.
Began serving term December 5,
1949, paroled September 18, 1850
and pardoned last December "a.
Former Representative j. Par
nell Thomas (Republican) of
New Jersey, sentenced to six to
18 months for payroll padding
and accepting kickbacks. Paroled
September 10, 1850 pardoned last
December "a.
Anthony Ballerini, Menlo Park,
Calf, sentenced November "a,
1925 to nine years for narcotic
act violation. Discharged by
court order November Is, 1880.
and pardoned January 7, 1858.
Jacob Weiss, Indianapolis, SEN
fenced August %, 1948, to three
years for income tax law viola
ton. Paroled February 10, 1851,
and pardoned January 16 of this
year.
Edward F. Prichard, Paris, KY,
former New Deal adviser, con-
victed of conspiracy to stuff bal
lot boxes and sentenced July IA,
1o49 to two years. Sentence
commuted December 81. 1850.
Pardoned January Is, 1858.
Richard w. Leche, former
Democratic governor of Louisi-
ana. sentenced June II, 1910 to
10 years for mail fraud. Begain
term December 81, 1941. paroled
June q, 1945 and pardoned jan
uary 16, 1858.