Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-10
Uncle Sam Seeksto TopWires,
But Mony Points Worry Him

Uncle Sam would very much
like to be able to tap telephone
wires In order to protect him
self from subversive influences,
foreign and domestic.
But he Is reluctant TO let
himself do 1t.
This curious trait Of Yankee
civilization-call It our ma
tional conscience or whatever
you likes evident In the
legal and political maze now
confronting those who are
wrestling with the problem.
A lot Of hard thought and
hard sense viii be required to
resolve the wiretap issue to the
common benefit, II indeed that
can be done. For overlapping,
which admittedly can be q
force for either good or evil,
has been o stormy, confused
issue for more than 30 years.
Today it needs more attention
and more wisdom In its han
ding than ever.
Recent Developments
Here are just = few Of the
complex situations - Federal.
State and local-that have
arisen in regard to overlapping
in the last several weeks.
. The United States an
nounced that it has finally
dropped the Judy Coplon case
for good. Reason: the govern
ment's case in this espionage
intrigue was largely based on
wiretap evidence, which is not
now admissible in Federal
court.
. Metropolitan Police Capt.
Todd Thoman failed to get into
court part Of his case against
officials alleged to have re-
ceived brides. Reason: He
had o recorder on his own
phone when much Of the peril
nent conversation occurred.
And recorders, 1t seems, are
subject to the same legal weak
ness as humans who have lis
tened in on tapped wires; they
can be inaccurate and/or
edited.
. Private eye" use of the
wiretap technique in New York
City has led to such scandals
that the State of New York is
considering revision of its wire
tap laws-which now permit
limited of1icial tapping-and
q tightening-up Of enforcement
procedures. CThe New York
tap situation is 20 bad, It is
reported. that one Judge and
his law clerk discuss conf
Dental matters in the judges
own Office by means Of the
Yiddish language.)
. But the Supreme Court Of
Pennsylvania has just upheld
of11cial overlapping in that
State as legal without statute,
admissible in evidence, and not
in violation Of either the
Federal or State constitutions.
o Meanwhile, q move is now
afoot in Congress, where hear
ings are going on before q House
Judiciary subcommittee, to
place Q stringent Federal ban
on all overlapping except cases
involving serious crimes
against country. In view Of
modern-day concepts of the
interstate commerce power,
this could mean virtual multi
f1cation Of many State laws
and probably would create new
fights over the proper Federal
State relationship.
In brief, while Uncle Sam is
trying to decide whether to
avail himself of the wiretap
weapon against his enemies,
this same weapon is being
badly abused at other levels
and the States are going on in
various directions in deciding
how to handle the matter
within their own borders.
Matter Of Rights
Perhaps the overriding con-
Germ in all this wiretap busi-
ness is the question of private
rights.
Conceding that all Ameri-
cans have the private right of
being secure in their homes
and persons against unwar-
ranted invasion, is there yet q
point where private right must