Evening star., 1954-01-07
By Cecil HoIIond
Unless there is some stiffening

BY Cecil Hollond
Unless there is some stiffening
somewhere along the line. a
skittish. election-year Senate will
do nothing to curb Senator Nc
Carthy and his Red-hunting
activities.
This was indicated with the
opening of Congress yesterday
when there was a lot Of back
stage discussion but little open
comment on what should be done
about the controversial Wiscon-
sin Republican.
1t all added up to about the
most that can be expected is
some move on the Senate floor
to cut off or reduce funds for
Senator McCarthy'S inveStiga-
tions subcommittee, and there
was nothing very firm along
that line.
For one thing. Senator Nc
Carthy was said to be taking
even that threat in stride. In
something of a senatorial war
of nerves he was reported to
have informed some of his Re-
publican colleagues they could
cut of funds for his subcommit-
tee il they wanted to. but that
it wouldn't stop his Communist
hunting activities.
Fund Raising Suggested.
The Wisconsin Republican. it
was reported. was said to have
told some of the Senators wav-
ering on the issue of curbing his
subcommittee that he would go
on the air with one speech--and
this would bring in all the money
and more that he needed for his
investigations.
Whether he would or could do
that was beside the question. 1t
was, however, illustrative of the
tenor of things McCarthy-wiSe
that got under way with the
opening session of Congress in a
congressional election year when
many Senators face crucial re-
election battles.
While numerous proposals were
being advanced for curbing the
Mccarthy subcommittee. the
Wisconsin Republican scheduled
a meeting for his subcommittee
today for the announced pur-
pose of considering the subcom-
mittee'S work load.
Wary on Mundt Plan.
One of the matters. it was said.
might be a proposal by Senator
Mundt. Republican. of South Da-
gotta, a member of the subcom-
mittee, to create a permanent
Senate committee to take over
all Senate Investigations of sub
version and security matters.
Senator Mccarthy was some
what wary in discussing the
Mundt proposal. But he was re-
ported to have spoken out against
it privately.
The Mundt proposal drew
varying comment, or no COM
ment at all in several instances.
from Senators who have been
concerned with investigative
matters.
Senator Potter, Republican, of
Michigan, a member of the Nc
Carthy subcommittee, said he
thought it was matter of
leadership responsibility rather
than creation of a new commit
tee to prevent jurisdictional dis
putes and duplication of work
in investigating security matters.
Favors Plan in Principle.
Senator Ferguson of Michigan,
chairman of the Senate Re-
publican Policy Committee, indi-
Gated he would favor the Mundt
proposal in principle. However,
he indicated he was not yet sure
on how the matter could be
worked out.
One investigations chairman
viewed the Mundt plan with
little enthusiasm. Chairman Jen-
ner of the Internal Security sub
committee. told reporters that
"as far as I know, the people in
Congress seem we'll satisfied"
with the job his subcommittee
is doing.
Il see no need to abolish it
and start all over again." he
added.
Democrats, for the most part,
had very little to say about the
Mccarthy matter; taking the
position that it was a problem
for the Republicans themselves
to handle.
This applied to three Demo-
cratS-Senators Mcclellan of
Arkansas. Symington of Missouri
and jackson Of Washington-who