Evening star., 1954-12-26

John Bricker's Bill
Makes Month Short
On NotionuI Progress

February. the short month, was remark
ably short in progress on either the domes-
tic or foreign scene.
Most notable among those who failed
to get to first base were Senator John w.
Bricker, Republican, of Ohio. who saw his
amendment fail, and the Big Four foreign
ministers who ended their Berlin confer
ence.
Almost the only action by Congress
February Is traditionally the no-work, ALL
talk month for the lawgivers1 was the
defeat Of the Bricker amendment. It was
complex issue, little understood by the
galleryites. but 1t seemed to boil down to
this:
Mr.. Bricker thought the executive was
sneaking in unconstitutional laws through
the back door of international treaties. He
wanted to amend the Constitution to pro-
vide for congressional or State approval
of all foreign agreements that affect in
ternal United States. The White House,
however. said that there was no attempt
to circumvent the Constitution, that treaty
law was hemmed in by plenty Of legal
safeguards and that further restrictions
would cripple our diplomats.
Congress saw things pretty much the
Presidents way. It amended the bill to
shreds and then rejected what was left.
Berlin Porley
In Berlin, the diplomats closed the Ber-
lin conference with these results: The
same old deadlock was affirmed on unifica-
ton of Germany and Austria, and agree
ment was reached on Big Five (includ-
ing Red China) conference on Far East
problems.
Significance of the meeting lay in the
~ YHeff~ ~
the grudging admission that Red China
really existed
Enter Mccorthy
Toward the end Of the month American
eyes turned to Wisconsin's Senator Nc
Carthy. He had demonstrated his great
power over both legislative and executive
branches before. but his February bullying
OF the United States Army surely was his
high-water mark
The dispute had started over the pro-
motion and honorable discharge Of Mai
Irving Peress, an Army dentist who had
pleaded Fifth Amendment when asked
about Communist activities. Senator Nc
sCarthy bawled out Brig. Gen. Ralph w.
zwicker. Peress commanding officer, for
failure to explain the Army bungle prop
erly.
NCC4CVdAy VI tAAC fA1Luy keOUCIb :.
Stevens leaped to the generals defense
and told Senator Mccarthy no more Army
men would be sent to the Hill to be abused
Other Senators tried to smooth over the
intra- Republican rift But in celebrated
chicken luncheon at the Capitol Senator
Mccarthy got Mr.. Stevens signature to q
document which in effect conceded the
Mccarthy arguments and left the Army
case in the wastebasket.
Reaction to the memo everywhere, ex-
cept perhaps in Mr.. Stevens own mind.
was that the Army had surrendered and
that Senator Mccarthy had proved his
dominance over the executive in show
down fight.
Business Woes
Meanwhile the administration was faced
with further troubles. The President con-
ceded in q press conference that rising
unemployment had him worried. He said
II the picture did not brighten in March
he would step in with drastic (unspecified)
federal action. And Democratic Congress-
men threatened the White House with q
mo cooperation" strike Ii the Republicans
did not abandon their party treason
talk.
On the foreign scene Italy got new
Premier, Mario Scelba, and in Egypt, Mo-
manned Naguib lost one title-prime min
ister-to 1t. Col. Canal Abdel NasSer. but
kept the presidency.