Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-12

exemption could lead to an annual
increase Of 5000 million in retail gas
prices to so million consumers.
Proponents of the bill said there
would be no increased cost to con-
suners as a result Of its passage.
The measure passed in the House
last year. 209-203.
The Senate vote upset all the Gus
tomary patterns. The bill was the
type that generally would draw the
solid support Of the Senate's free
enterprise" bloc and array in oppo-
sition the Democratic liberals. Yet
among the may" voters were such
dauntless free-enterprisers as Bend
er of Ohio. Jenner of Indiana AID
Duff Of Pennsylvania. Liberals on
the side Of the producer included
Fulbright of Arkansas, the bills
sponsor, and Murray and Mansfield,
both Of Montana, as well as O,Ma-
honey Of Wyoming and Monroney Of
Oklahoma.
Leadership Split
The Democratic leadership itself
was split, with Majority Leader
johnson Of Texas fighting for the
bill and Party Whip Clements Of
Kentucky voting against It. The
Democratic Policy Committee split,
to 4. In the Southern bloc Is
Senators voted for the bill and six
against.
The split on the Republican side
Of the aisle was only slightly less
marked. Senators from eight
States that have two Republican
Senators divided on the final vote.
But it was Republican voting sup-
port that put the measure through.
for while less than half Of the
Senate Democrats voted in the
affirmative, two-thirds Of the Re-
publicans backed the bill.
The Democrats, however, would
seem to have the most to lose
politically by the bills passage.
Their campaign cry Of "giveaway"
loses much Of its impact when IL
is pointed out that Democratic
Leader johnson held the ramrod
in the Senate. And in the House
last year it was Speaker Sam Ray.
burn Of Texas who neatly maneu-
vered it to victory by only six votes.
after 1t had been introduced by 0
Democrat.
Will Ike Veto?
There was a lot Of guessing-but
no betting-on what course PreA.
dent Eisenhower would take now
that he has the bill. He was asked
about the matter at his news con-
ference. but his answer was Of the
"but-on-the- other-hand" variety.
Little possibility was seen that
he could be swayed by all the talk
Of shady doings by. or in behalf
Of, interests anxious to SEQ the
measure become law.
Special Inquiry
The Senate was going into that.
A select committee, headed BY
Senator Walter George Of Georgia.
was named by Vice President Nixon
to look into the matter. The group
began its inquiry Friday. with Sena-
tor Case on the stand. The South
Dakotan was asked some pointed
questions by Counsel Charles Stead
man. Mr.. Steadman stressed the
Senator's dramatic timing Of his
complaint, and said the timing
"goes to the bona fideness Of the
whole complaint" Nine days
elapsed between the time Senator
Case first learned Of the contribu-
ton and his February 3 speech to
the Senate.
Yesterday afternoon, the man
who had proffered the $4,000, Ne
braska Lawyer John M. Neff, testi-
fed that the Superior OIL Co. had
paid the expenses of his trip to
South Dakota when he deposited
the money with a friend Of Sena-
tor Case. He said, however, that
the company had not instructed
him to make the trip. Asked the
amount of the expenses paid him,
Mr.. Neff replied, 81 do not know"
Mr.. Neff, an attorney for Supe-
rior Oil. later said he was told the
$4,000, which was handed him by
another Superior Oil attorney.
came originally from man who.
he believed. was president of the
oil company.