Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-08
Two Gas Bill Lobbyists
Censured by Senators
Potmon, Neff
Hitin $500
Offer toCqse
By ]. A. O'LEARY

A special Senate committee
last night severely censured"
Elmer Patman and John M. Neff,
lawyers for the Superior Oil Co.,
of California, for. their activities
in behalf of the natural gas bill.
Although the committee did
not extend its censure to Howard
B. Keck, president of the COM
pany, it said that he gave Mr..
Patman almost appalling lati-
tude" in the handling of Mr..
Keck's personal funds for cam
paign contributions.
The Senators denounced the
whole affair as "irresponsibility
run riot"
Highlights of Report
Highlights of the unanimous
report of the four-man commit
tee, two from each party, were:
/. That the offer of a $500
campaign contribution to Sem
ator Case, Republican of South
Dakota, which touched off the
investigation, was an attempt to
influence his vote, but did not
constitute a bride.
2. That the Justice Depart
ment should examine the tram
script to determine whether any
Federal laws we're violated. CA
Federal grand jury here already
has heard some of the witnesses
who were before the Senate COM
mittee.)
3. That Congress should re-
vamp the laws governing lobby
ing and campaign contributions.
which leaders have already de-
cided to do later this year.
Lobbying is proper; contri-
buttons are proper-but they
must not be combined for an
Interior purpose" the commit
tee concluded.
Vetoed by President
The natural gas bill, which
would have lessened the degree
of Federal control over pro-
ducers' rates. passed the Sem
late, So to 38. in February but
was vetoed by President Eisen-
hover. A few days before the
vote, Senator Case revealed the
offer Of the campaign contri-
button, and announced he was
rejecting it. He also announced
the incident had made him de-
eide to vote against the bill.
The Senate created the four
man committee to 90 into the
Case incident. and later set I'D
an eight-man bipartisan COM
mlttee to launch a broader in
Vestlgatlon of lobbying and cam
palgn contributions. The second
committee is just organizing. but
has announced it will conduct a
more general inquiry into activ-
lty both for and against the gas
bill.
The four members who filed
yesterdays report are Senators
George, Democrat of Georgia
chairman; Hayden. Democrat of
Arizona: Bridges, Republican Of
New Hampshire, and Thye, Re-
publican of Minnesota.
Part of Summary
Their summary read. in part.
as follows:
The Select Committee
mas concluded that the objective
OF the individuals who initiated
and carried out this chain of
events was to influence by no.
lltlcal contribution the vote of
a member of the United States
Senate. The Select Committee
condemns such activity.
This is a case of irresponsible
lty run riot Howard B. Keck
delegated his judgment and re-
sponsibility with respect to the
use Of his private funds to an
employe. Elmer Patman. Pat
man, in turn. delegated his iudg-
ment AND responsibility to John
Neil. a friend and Nebraska at
torney Mr.. Neff, in a space Of
four months. covered five States
and sought out the attitude of
10 United States Senators con-
cernlng a single piece Of lepls-
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