Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-16
Bill 10 Outlaw
RedsAgreed0n
ByG.0.P.Chiefs
Will Be Offered in
House as Amendment
To Senate Proposal

Senate and House Republican
leaders today agreed on a new
bill they said will really outlaw
the Communist Party" and be
acceptable to the administration.
Chairman Ferguson of the
Senate Republican Policy Com
mittee and House Speaker Mar
tin outlined the new legislation
to reporters at the White House
after comforting on it with
President Eisenhower and At
torney General Brownell.
It wilMbe offered in the House
as an amendment to a Senate
bill of last week that would make
it illegal for any individual to
belong to the Communist Party.
That measure was opposed by
the administration as driving
Communists underground and
making it more difficult to deal
with the Red problem.
Speaker Martin told reporters
today the Senate bill was sup
posed to outlaw Communists"
but there now is considerable
feeling that lit doesn't do this
at ALL"
Ferguson Backs Martin.
Senator Ferguson agreed, say
ing the Senate bill would really
destroy a lot Of anti-Commu-
mist legislation.
The new House provision, he
said, would actually outlaw the
Communist Party as such, TAX
ing away its rights and privi-
leges.'
Unlike the Senate bill, it
would not make it illegal for an
individual to be a Communist.
But, Senator Ferguson pointed
out, any Communist can be
prosecuted under the Smith Act,
already on the books, when he
is part Of the Communist con-
spiracy.
Senator Ferguson pointed out
that an amendment in the
Senate bill provided that no one
could be convicted under it
except on evidence of an overt
act as Communist Party mem
Der.
He said this would make it
almost impossible to obtain con-
victionS. He pointed out that
an overt act was not necessary
for conviction under the Smith
Act.
Basic Difference.
Speaker Martin explained that
a basic difference between the
Senate bill and the proposed
House version is that the Senate
bill tackles the Communist prob
lem through individuals, while
the House proposal goes at it
collectively as a party"
The leaders explained, that the
new proposal, taking away any
rights and privileges Of the Com
munist Party, would mean that
no Communist could be put on
the ballot in a national cleo
ton; the party could not sue in
courts, make leases or collect
money as a party. The bill
covers the party under whatever
name it might adopt.
Speaker Martin said that Mr..
Brownell took part in discussion
of the measure at the White
House conference this morning
He told questioners 81 think you
can say the proposed House ver-
sion will be acceptable to the
administration"
Fight Possible in Senate.
If there is to be a Congress
Slonal hight over the House pro-
posal. it is likely to come in the
Senate where the Democrats, who
the Butler-Humphrey measure
the Senate passed last week.
Should the House pass its
amendment to the Senate bill,
the matter would then go to a
House Senate conference. The
Republicans presumably would
control this conference and
adopt a report following the
wishes Of the House. The last
chance the Senate Democrats
would have would be to carry a
vote to send the matter back to
conference. If successful, it
would probably kill the entire
bill.