Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-24
BY ROBERT X. WALSH

Despite major setback in the
Supreme Court reversal of three
contempt of Congress convic-
tions, the House Committee on
Un-American Activities and the
United States attorneys Office
today found the way cleared for
prompt prosecution of nine SIM
liar cases here.
The high court yesterday
threw out convictions of Julius
Emspak and Thomas Quinn, Of
flcials of the left-wing United
Electrical Workers. and Philip
Bart. general manager of the
Communist newspaper Daily
Worker. who refused to answer
committee questions in 1949 and
1850.
The committee Investigations
dealt with Communist inflltra-
ton in labor organizations. The
United Electrical Workers Union
was expelled from the CLIO sew
eral years ago We officials to-
day described the Supreme Court
decision as crushing blow" for
the House committee.
But the committee could take
some comfort in the high courts
comments about recently i'm
proved committee hearing meth
DDS. The tribunal also gave
assurances that there still are
strong means for congressional
committees to handle any
"scheming witness intent on de-
ception."
The United States attorneys
Office especially was interested
in the Supreme Courts refusal
to rule on contentious by En-
spak, Quinn and Bart that the
committees questioning violated
their free speech rights under
the First Amendment.
Assistant United States At
torney William Hitz said nine
cases, raising that First Amend
,ment contention and involving
witnesses who baked at an
swering congressional commit |
tee questions, had been delayed |
in United States District Court |
for the District of Columbia |
pending possible Supreme |
Court decision on the First |
Amendment point. Mr.. Hitz an
nounced those cases now will be
brought to trial.
A somewhat similar contempt |
of Congress charge against |
John T. Watkins, a former
United Electrical Workers orga-
nicer, goes on trial today. Mr.. |
Hitz explained that the First |
Amendment defense may be |
raised but that this was not the
reason why the case was not |
previously called up.
The lower court convictions
of Emspack, Quinn and Bart |
were set aside by the Supreme |
Court mainly on the ground that |
those men properly invoked the |
Fifth Amendment guarantee |
against possible self-incrimina-
ton.
The court opinions delivered |
by Chief Justice Warren drew
dissents from Justices Reed and
Minton in all three cases. Justice
Harlan dissented in the Ems
pack and Bart cases.
The Chief Justice noted that |
Emspack refused to answe: 60
of the 2S9 questions asked by the
committee and also had been
charged with having failed to
invoke the Fifth Amendment in |
his refusal. AS for questions Ems
pack baked at answering, the
Chief Justice said:
1T seems clear that answers
to the questions concerning his
associations might be dangerous |
because injurious disclosure could |
result. To reveal knowledge about |
the named individuals-all of |
them having been previously |
charged with Communist affilia-
tions-could well have furnished
a link in the chain of evidence
needed to prosecute him for a
Federal crime ranging from con-
spiracy to violate the Smith Act
to the filing of a false non-Com-