Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-03
'EastIand Plans
||rnpartiaIity in
Judiciary Post
BY the Associated Press


Senator Eastland, Democrat
of Mississippi, said today that
"of course. I'll be an impartial
chairman" of the Senate Judi
ciary Committee land carry out
my duties to the best of my abil-
ity."
Senator Eastland, vigorous foe
of racial indignation. was chosen
chairman of the group by voice
vote Of the Senate yesterday
after Senators Morse of Oregon
and Lehman of New York. both
Democrats, challenged his "im-
Partially"
Senator Lehman told the Sem
ate that Senator Eastland is "a
symbol Of racism in America and
a symbol of defiance of the Con-
stitution as interpreted by the
Supreme Court"
Senator Morse said he was
greatly concerned about some
of the utterances" of Senator
Eastland. particularly the Mis-
sissippi Senator's assertions after
the school Indignation ruling that
the Supreme Court was "rre-
sponsible," incompetent" and
"indoctrinated and brainwashed
by left-wing pressure groups"
Stennis Answers
But Senator Stennis, Demo-
Icrat of Mississippi, replied that
in his speeches, Senator East
land had "counseled legal ap-
Iproaches, lawful proceedings and
orderly conduct" in opposing the
Supreme Courts ruling for
school integration.
The Senate Democratic Steer
ling Committee ignored protests
Iby Americans for Democratic
Action and the National Associ-
alton for the Advancement of
Colored People in approving
without objection Senator East
lands elevation to the Judiciary
Committee Craftsmanship to
succeed the late Senator Kill
gore. Democrat of West Virginia.
The committee, one of the
busiest in the Senate. handles
legislation involving civil rights.
immigration, judiciary matters
and internal security inveStiga-
Itions. 1t also acts on the con-
Ifirmation of judicial appoint
lments.
After the Senate vote, Clar-
jence Mitchell, Washington di-
rector of NAACP, said "the
Senate of the United States has
Just voted to put an accessory
to murder and treason in its
most powerful judicial position"
and accused members of "look-
ing the other way when mad
dog is loose in the streets of JUS
Itice."
Declines Comment
Declining comment on this,
Senator Eastland said in an in
terview he will retain his chair
manship of the Internal Security
subcommittee, which devotes
most of its time to investigations
of alleged Communist infiltra-
ton. He also is chairman of the
immigration subcommittee. but
said he had not determined
whether to give that up. ~
Senator Eastland said that civil
rights matters are handled by
a subcommittee on constitutional
rights headed by Senator Hen
nings, Democrat of Missouri.
Senator Morse said Senator
Eastland, during the 1852 cam
paign in Mississippi. had boosted
of bottling up civil right legisla-
ton while he was chairman Of
the subcommittee handling such
bills.
Senator Stennis said there had
been no hearings on civil rights
legislation while Senator East
land was chairman of that sub
committee because none had
been requested.
Senator Ellender. Democrat of
louisiana told the Senate he
couldn't follow" Senator Morse's
complaints about Senator East
land. He said that a majority of
any committee, not it's chairman,
determines the action of the
group.
Senator Nicely, Democrat of
West Virginia, was named to the
committee vacancy created by
Senator Kilgore's death.