Evening star., 1953-11-12
By 1. Edgar Primo

WlICIC D tCluc! 1lldL Wdo OIlC
of the big mysteries in Wash
ington yesterday as scores of
press, radio and TV newsmen.
Democratic Congressman and
Republican National Committee
officials tried to locate the man
who ordered former President
Truman subpoenaed.
Representative Harold H.
Velde, Republican, of Illinois,
chairman of the House Commit
tee on Un-Americar Activities.
the object of the search. was in
Fort Wayne, Ind, very early yes
terday morning. en- route by auto
from his home in Pekin, ILL.,, to
Washington.
He had been in his home dis
trict on official business when the
news broke that Mr.. Truman,
Associate Justice Clark and Gov
ernor Byrnes of South Carolina
had been subpoenaed> to appear
before his committee.
Boards Airliner.
When he telephoned a COM
mittee staffer this morning,
however, and was briefed on the
sharp reaction by committee
members to the surprise issuance
OF the SubpoenaS, Mr.. Velde got
out of his car and took a plane.
He asked a travelling companion
to bring his automobile to the
Capital and boarded an airliner
for acknowledgements out
of the way, but the nearest point
to catch a through airplane to
Washington. He arrived in In
dianapoliS about 2 am, and
didn't climb aboard the Wash
ington plane until four hours
later.
The chairman arrived in.
Washington National Airport at
1885 am. He was met by Ra-
phael Nixon, committee direc-
tor of research and a few re-
porters. The latter saw MIN
briefly and lost track of him.
Mr.. Nixon whisked his boss
away to what for several hours
remained mystery hideout.
Meanwhile, the bulk of the
newSmen had been watchfully
waiting at Mr.. Velde's Office in
the Old House Office Building,
where the chairman's secretary
maintained her position of a
phone in each hand in a losing
battle to keep up with the steady
ringing. A few reporters staked
out at the Congressional Hotel.
A clerk had said Mr.. Velde was
expected there later lin the day.
One of the persistent tele-
phone callers was Robert
Humphrey. publicity director for
the Republican National Com
mittee. He had begun his
search in mid-morning and still
was calling we'll after the lunch
hour. 1t is reported that he
finally reached the chairman
later in the afternoon.
Others Begin to Disappear.
Then, other people began
dropping out of sight. Repre-
sentatives Kit Clardy of Michi-
gan and Gordon Scherer of
Ohio, both Republicans, had, in
dividually, met the press in the
morning. But calls to their Of
fees later brought the replies
that they had gone to lunch
somewhere" and there was no
telling when they would return.
1t seemed obvious they had rem
dezvoued with Mr.. Velde.
Finally, some one remembered
that the chairman had an
apartment at Parkfairfax, Alex
andria. The hunt grew hot. A
slip of the tongue and half a
dozen reporters and cameramen
were on their way. Others
might also have got the word,
but Representative Walter of
Pennsylvania, ranking Democrat |
on the committee, was holding
a press conference in his Office.
Mr.. Walter, incidentally, |
charged that Mr.. Velde was get
ting his instructions in the White
case from the G.. o. P. National /
Committee and that, as a matter
of fact, he could be found in the |
latter's Offices at the moment. !
This turned out to be misinfor-
nation. Mr.. Velde did not leave
his apartment all afternoon.
Conference in Apartment.
The press birddoggers found
the apartment, but had to begin