Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-05

Cases Bride Charge
lntensifies Bottle
Over Natural Cos

Reports of an attempt to buy Q
Senator's vote exploded into de-
bate Friday on the controversial
natural gas bill as Senator'S on both
sides of the issue began to wind up
their summations.
It had been prolonged, highly
technical and duh debate until the
middle Of the afternoon Friday
when South Dakota Republican
Francis Case, quite Unexpectedly.
took the floor and told the Senate
that someone lawyer whose
name he refused to divulge-had
put up $500 in an effort to in
fiuence his vote.
The South Dakotan told this
story:
The lawyer in question called on
a South Dakota friend of the Sena-
tor and asked how the Senator
stood on the BILL which would ex-
empt natural gas producers from
direct control by the Federal Power
Commission. The friend in South
Dakota wrote the Senator. asking
him how he planned to vote. The
Senator replied by letter to the
effect that. as things then stood, he
planned to vote for the bill, but in
dicated that he could change his
mind during debate. Subsequently,
Senator Case said, the lawyer came
to Washington. and failing to see
the Senator. discussed the Senator's
sympathies with clerk in his Office.
The lawyer, who is not resident
of South Dakota. then returned to
South Dakota and deposited an en-
velope containing IS 500 bills with
the Senator's friend. explaining:
This is for Cases campaign" Sen.
ator Case later ordered that the
contribution" be returned.
Backers of the gas bill. including
Senators william Fulbright and
Mike Monroney. Immediately be-
gan demanding that Senator Case
name the man who attempted to
bride him. They asked him II
times to name the man, but Sem
ator Case demurred.
Finally. the South Dakotan said:
May respectfully request that
Senators may not want to press
the point too far"
Resentment Flares
Senator Monroney said he re-
sented this. and Senator Case
fastened to explain he meant
nothing personal. But he added
that he was confident that the man
who brought the money to South
Dakota was not AN opponent Of
the bill. but one who desired pas
sage"
Senator Case said that the offer
had influenced his vote on the bill
but not the way the man with
the $4,000 had hoped, Now, Sem
ator Case said, he is determined to
vote against the bill.
Majority Leader Lyndon johnson.
after a conference with other Sem
ate leaders. announced yesterday
that he would ask the Senate to-
morrow for unanimous consent
resolution to set up a bipartisan
select committee of four Senators to
investigate Senator Cases story.
After that, he said. the Senate, a.
had been planned earlier. would
prepare to vote tomorrow on the
bill.
There was a feeling among sew
eral Senators. including some who
still are uncommitted. that the
bride attempt would have no effect
on the final outcome. 1t was
widely suspected on Capitol Hill
that the attempt may have been
made in behalf of interests who
oppose the bill. rather than the gas
interests. with the idea that the
report would sway indignant Sena-
tors. Others felt that Senators
should not use this as a reason for
changing their votes when they
agree with the merits of a measure.
II this became general, they said.
Continued on Page A-2o