Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-12-09
Defense Plant Probe
Lapses as Mccarthy
Rests Out Of Town
BY james Y. Newton

By james Y. Newton
There was nothing but quiet
on the Mccarthy front today
with the controversial Senator
out Of town and activities Of
his Communist hunting subcom-
mittee at a standstill.
Even the furore raised by the
bitter attack Senator Mccarthy
made on President Eisenhower
had died down at least for the
time being. The Wisconsin Re-
publican, among other things.
charged the President with dis
playing "a shrinking show of
weakness toward communism.
but Gen. Eisenhower refrained
yesterday from making a reply
in kind.
The Senate Investigation Sub
committee hearing on Com
munists in defense plants ended
last night after only two days.
It's future course depended on
Senator Mccarthy, who was
resting at an undisclosed place
repeatedly for a week or 10 days.
No Plans to Resume.
The subcommittee heard only
IL witnesses, although Senator
Mccarthy said earlier that AZ
subpoenas were being issued
and the hearing would be
pushed right through the
Christmas holidays.
Senator Potter, Republican, of
Michigan. who was presiding
at the end. said there were no
present plans to resume the
hearings, although he said there
were other witnesses who could
be called. Apparently some staff
investigative work was to con-
tinue.
II don't know what Senator
McCarthy's plans are or when
he will be back" Senator Potter
said.
Senator Mccarthy left the city
to rest his injured arm soon
after his soft-on-communism
blast at Gen. Eisenhower.
On numerous occasions Sena-
tor Mccarthy has charged that
the defense plants investigation
was being held up by investiga-
ton of him. During the Army
Mccarthy hearing last spring he
nkened the threat Of Commu-
nists in defense plants to a
razor poised lover the jugular
vein of the Nation" 4
Will Relinquish Leadership.
Senator Mccarthy will re-
linquish the Craftsmanship Of the
subcommittee when the Demo-
Gratis organize the Senate next
month. Senator Mcclellan,
Democrat, of Arkansas, will take
over.
Senator Potter said the Demo-
Gratis should follow through on
the defense plants probe. He
added he knew of mo disposition
on the part Of any committee
member, Democrat or Republic
can, to curtail the investigation.
During the two-day hearing.
seven witnesses claimed The pro-
lection of the Fifth Amendment
against possible self -incrimina-
ton In refusing to answer ques-
tions aimed at finding out II
they had Communist Affiliations.
Five of them did so yesterday. |
They were:
Paul Ault. -. an employee Of
the Bethlehem Steel Co. at Will
Transport, Pa; Alvin j. Heller.
81, of Bethlehem, Pa, a crane
operator for the Luria Engineer
ing Co.; John Babirak, who said
he first went to work for Beth
lehem Steel In 1925 and has been
on the company:s payroll since
1888; Harold c. Allen, "a, of |
Easton, Pa, an employe of the
Lehigh Foundries, Inc; and
Morris K. Slater. of Phillipsburg,
N. j.. an employe Of the Inger-
soll-Rand Co.
Ault Assails Agent.
Mr.. Ault was removed tempo
rarily from the hearing room
yesterday after he had assailed |
an FBI undercover informant as
"a lying stool pigeon =. a smirk-
ing stool pigeon a lousy
scab a toad" His words
were aimed at Herman E. Thorn
as of Allentown, Pa, who iden-
titled Mr.. Ault and others as
Communists.
Three of the II witnesses told
the subcommittee they were for
mer Communists and cooper
ated with the Senate group. The
remaining witness was not ques-
toned about a charge he was
a Communist because he had no
lawyer and reported his wife was
Ill.
The Investigations subcom-
mittee has asked firms employ
ing the seven baking witnesses
to fire them. |
Bethlehem Steel has an
nounced 1t would fire the two
witnesses who refused to answer
questions at the opening public
session Tuesday. They were
named as Communists by an /
FBI undercover man. |
Meanwhile-in something Of a
postscript to an issue that arose
during the Senate censure ses-
sion-Senator Hayden. Demo-
crat. of Arizona said post office +
check put on McCarthy's mail
during a 1852 Senate investiga-
ton of his finances was a "legit-
innate technique" of investi-
gators. /
Senator Mccarthy was rebuked |
by the Senate last week in part
because of his conduct toward
the Senate Elections subcom-
mittee which used the mail