Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-25
Counsel Scores
Wier Attack as
Political Move

said today 1t is q safe assunip-
ton" that william Gerber wiz
remain as counsel.
Mr.. Davis statement came
after q request from Represent
tative Wier. Democrat Of Minne-
sofa, that Chairman Mcmillan
of the full House District Com.
mittee. call a meeting Of the
committee ito review the dis
graceful performance Of the
counsel for the subcommittee"
This was contained In tele-
gram sent by Mr.. Wier yesterday
from Minneapolis. But Mr.. Davis
and other subcommittee meme
bers defended Mr.. Gerber.
Mr.. Wier accused Mr.. Gerber
Of being "a prosecutor, witness
and self-appointed judge" He
said the counsel's sole objective
seems to be to prove that IN
tegration has not worked and
to set teacher against teacher,
parents against parents and pu-
Ipil against pupil to prevent it
from working"
Asks Gerber Suspension
Mr.. Wier recommended that
Mr.. Mcmillan. who is travelling
with the House Agriculture Com-
mittee, suspend Mr.. Gerber
pending a meeting Of the full
District Committee so we can
discuss how to proceed in q fair
and dignified manner"
Mr.. Davis. Georgia Democrat,
told reporters that on the basis
OF the telegram from Mr.. Wier,
The thought the Minnesota Rep
resentative was grossly misin-
formed" as to the conduct Of
1.-THE hearing.
With the full agreement Of
another investigating member,
Representative Williams. Demo-
lcrat Of Mississippi, Mr.. Davis
said, YOf course, pending any
word from Mr.. Mcmillan, we win
proceed with our present
counsel"
Statement Scored
Mr.. Davis added that he had
never seen q committee counsel
examine witnesses with more
courtesy or a strict observance
lot rules Of procedure than has
lMr. Gerber. This statement,
too, was approved BY Represents
ative Williams.
The Mississippi Representative
added: at is difficult for me to
see how Mr.. Wier can Judge the
actions Of the counsel from Min
nesota. :"
Mr.. Wier has not attended any
of the hearings.
AS the subcommittee prepared
ito question more witnesses to-
day Mr.. Gerber said Mr.. Wier
lis evidently running for Office
land has to have some pollncal
propaganda"
subcommittee members said
privately they doubted Mr.. Nc.
MILAN would call the committee
for such q meeting. Mr.. McMil-
Ian was not Immediately avail
able for comment.
Mr.. Williams said, Il don't
know what Wier's political sit
uation is but / can assure him
that Mr.. Gerber is not in as
much danger of being fired by
1.-THE subcommittee as WIer is in
danger of being fired by the
people Of his district.
'FOr Home Consumption
1T sounds like (the telegram)
WAS sent more for home tom
sumption than action BY the
committee"
Representative Broyhill. Re-
publican Of Virginia. declined
comment on the telegram but
lsaid Mr.. Gerber was fair as
lchief committee interrogation.
Mr.. Broyhill, like Mr.. Davis,
lMr. Williams and Representa-
tive Woodrow w. Jones. Demo-
crat Of North Carolina, on the
six-man subcommittee. signed
THE Southern manifesto"
against the Supreme Court order
decreeing an end to public school
segregation.
In a separate interview, Mr..
Jones said he goes along with
Mr. Davis praise Of Mr.. Gerber
las courteous to witnesses and 3
follower Of standard procedures.
I'm my opinion Mr.. Wier has
been misinformed." Mr.. Davis
said.
Clarifies Statement
Mr.. Davis today clarified his
statement OF yesterday that mo
protecting radicals" are going TO
stop the hearings. His state
ment was issued after AdIai =.
stevenson. the Democratic pres
Iidentail candidate. had wired
the local chapter Of the National
Association for the Advance
ment OF Colored People that the
hearings seemed to him to be-
serving mo constructive pur-
pose"
Mr.. Davis said he did not
mean IN his statement that Mr..
stevenson himself was 4 pro-
testing radical" Mr.. Davis said
he continues to support Mr.. Ste
venson for President.
Representative Hyde. Republl-
can Of Maryland. explained to-
day why be Is not attending the
subcommittee hearings. He
said apparently there has been
some MISUNDERSTANDING about his
inability TO be present
Early In August. he said In
"a statement. = informed the
chairman Of this special investi-
eating subcommittee that I
would be unable to attend any
meeting between Labor Day and
J election day"