Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-06
Justice Clark
Criticized in
Disputed Report
No Evidence Found
Of Wronedoing as
Attorney General
BY the Associated Pres.

Tee, IN q disputed report. today
criticized Justice Tom C.. Clark
for declining to testify after he
Joined the Supreme Court but
said it had turned up no proof
Of wrongdoing by Mr.. Clark
while he was Attorney General.
The document drew immediate
fire from Representative Rogers,
Democrat. Of Colorado, one Of
the five subcommittee members.
who said Chairman Heating. Re-
publican. of New York pulled q
sneak play" by his "unwar-
ranted political release of his
proposed libelous report "
Mr. Rogers defended Mr..
Clark. an appointee of former
President Truman. and said most
OF the report had not been ap-
proved in subcommittee or even
considered by the parent judici-
airy group.
The report. dealing with the
subcommittee's inquiry last year
into operations Of the Justice
Department. said the investiga-
tors We're troubled" because
some controversial actions were
traced back to Mr.. Clark. Mr..
Clark was Attorney General in
1945-1949 before going to the
Supreme Court.
Called Unfortunate.
Mr.. Heating said in an accom-
panying statement that Mr..
Clark's failure to testify was
unfortunate" because I'VE were
deprived of the benefit of any
light which might have been
shed by a former member Of
President Truman's cabinet" :
Mr.. Clark could not immedi.
ately be reached for comment.
But MIR. Rogers called Mr.. Keat-
ing's statement Completely
baseless" and accused the New
York Republican of violating his
own fair play code in making
the report public.
The 135-page printed report
contained no signatures of sub
committee members in its major
sections. At various points mi
nority views were contained UNI
der Mr.. Rogers name. Separate
views were also entered by two
congressman who were members
OF the full committee but not
the subgroup.
There was no explanation why
the report, transmitted to the
parent COMMITTEE IL months
ago. has not yet been acted on
there.
Troubled by Suggestions.
The report said the subcom-
mittee found no conclusive
evidence of wrongdoing by JUS
tice Clark at any point during
his service in the (Justice) De-
partment." Then it added:
1T was troubled, however, by
repeated suggestions in the tes-
timony Of his associates and
subordinates that some OF the
actions for which they have
been criticized were traceable
ultimately. to him.
His testimony alone could
have removed the last doubt
that the responsibilities the SUBJ
committee has placed on vari-
GUS department officials came to
rest, in every case, on the right.
shoulders.
The printed report summarized
eight different phases of the sub
committees investigation, in
Guiding an invitation to Mr..
Clark to appear before it and
testify. It reproduced a letter
from Mr.. Heating sending the
eight reports on the full Judi
ciary Committee last August 6.
Another letter by Representative
Reed, Republican of Illinois.
chairman of the full committee.
said that with the exception of
one Of the eight portions, the
subcommittee report "has not re-
ceived the consideration of the
committee. and does not
necessarily reflect the judgment
or conclusions of this committee"
Mr.. Rogers. in a separate state
ment. cited these circumstances
and noted that one of the rules
which Mr.. Heating proposed and
the subcommittee adopted--and
which is reprinted in the docu-
ment-reads: mo report shall be
made or released to the public
without the approval Of a major
ity Of the full committee on the
judiciary"
Mr.. Rogers declared that re-
lease of the report. which he at
tributed to Mr.. Heating. utterly
disregards orderly and ethical
tSee JUSTICE. Page A-5.)