Evening star., 1954-09-27


For Official Action
Called Outside Pale
{ Continued From Page A-73
1851. March 81, 1852, May 8.
1852. May 8, 1852. May II. 1852
and December i, 1852. are clearly
contemptuous. disregarding en-
tirely his duty to cooperate, rid
iculing the subcommittee. ac-
cusing these committee officers
of the Senate with dishonesty
and impugning their motives. and
making it impossible for them to
proceed in orderly fashion. or to
complete their duties.
The same attitude was ex-
pressed in the statement given
to the press by Senator Nc
Csrthy on January 2. 1858.
The letters to Senator Nc
Carthy from Chairman Gillette,
later from Chairman Hennings,
and the letter from Chairman
Hayden. were uniformly courte-
Gus and cooperative, as one Sem
ator should have the right to
expect from colleagues. There
is no justification in this record
for the harsh criticisms directed
by Senator Mccarthy to the sub
committee, in letters apparently
sometimes given to the press be-
fore receipt by the person to
whom directed.
It is the opinion of the select
committee that this conduct of
Senator Mccarthy was con-
temptuous, independently of his
failure to appear before the sub
committee.
II. The junior Senotor from
Wisconsin did "denounce"
the Senote Subcommittee
on Privileges and Elections
without justification.
We feel that the fact that
Senator Mccarthy denounced
the subcommittee on privileges
and elections is established by
reference to a few Of the let
ters in the exchange of cor
respondence. In his letter Of
December 6, 1851. to Chairman
Gillette, Senator Mccarthy
states that when the subcom-
mittee. without Senate authori-
zation, is spending tens OF
thousands of taxpayers dollars
for the sole purpose sof digging
up campaign material against
Mccarthy, then the committee is
guilty of stealing just as clearly
as though the members engaged
in picking the pockets of the
taxpayers and turning the loot
over to the Democrat National
Committee. Such language di-
rected by a Senator toward a
committee of the Senate pur-
suing its authorized functions
is clearly Incorporate. in bad
taste, and unworthy of a MEM
ber of this body.
These accusations by Senator
Mccarthy are continued and re-
peated in his letter to Chairman
Gillette dated December 10,
1851. Under date of March 81,
1852, Senator Mccarthy wrote to
Senator Hayden. chairman OF
the parent Committee on Rules
and Administration that: "As
you know, I wrote Senator Gil
lette, chairman of the subcom-
mittee, that ! consider this a
completely dishonest handling
of taxpayers money" Similar
language is used in Senator Nc
Carthy's letters down to the last
dated December /, 1852.
Should Have Presented Basis
If Senator Mccarthy had any
justification for such denuncia-
ton of the subcommittee, he
should have presented it at these
hearings. His failure so to dc
leaves his denunciation of officers
of the Senate without any foun-
dation in this record.
The members of the subcom-
mittee were Senators represent
ing the people of sovereign
States. They were performing
official duties of the Senate
Every Senator is UNDERSTANDABLE
jealous of his honor and in.
tegrity, but this does not bal
inquiry into his conduct, since
the Constitution expressly make.
the Senate the guardian OF it,
own honor.
It is the opinion of the select
committee that these charges
of political waste and dishonesty
for improper motives >were de.
mandatory and unjustified
In this connection, attention
Is directed to the charges re.
ferred to this committee relating
to words uttered by the junior
Senator from Wisconsin abou
individual Senators.
It has been established, with
out denial and in fact with con
firmation and reiteration, tina
Senator Mccarthy, in referenc,
to the official actions of tn
junior Senator from New Jersey
Mr.. Hendrickson, as a membe
of the Subcommittee on Privi
leges and Elections. questioned
both his moral courage and hi
mental ability.
His public statement with ref
erence to Senator HendrickSoI
was vulgar and insulting. An
Senator has the right to Ques
ton. criticize, differ from, Q
condemn an official action of tn
body Of which he Is a member
a