Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-25
Davis Backs Gerber
In D. c. School Quiz
Counsel Scores
Wier Attack as
Political Move

Chairman Davis OF the House
Subcommittee investigating inte-
grafton in the Districts schools.
said today 1t is "a safe assump-
ton" that William Gerber will
remain as counsel.
Mr.. Davis statement came
after a 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 a tele-
gram sent by Mr.. Wier yesterday
from Minneapolis. But Mr.. Davis
and other subcommittee menu
bers defended MI. 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-
pill 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 a fair
and dignified manner"
Mr.. Davis, Georgia Democrat,
told reporters that on the basis
of the telegram from Mr.. Wier,
he thought the Minnesota Rep
resentative was grossly misin-
formed" as to the conduct of
the hearing.
With the full agreement Of
another investigating member,
Representative Williams, Demo-
crat of Mississippi, Mr.. Davis
said, "Of course. pending any
word from Mr.. Mcmillan, we will
proceed with our present
counsel"
Statement Scored
Mr.. Davis added that he had
never seen a committee counsel
examine witnesses with more
courtesy or a strict observance
/ of rules of procedure than has
Mr.. Gerber. This statement,
too, was approved by Represents
alive Williams.
The Mississippi Representative
added: 1T 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
to question more witnesses to-
day Mr.. Gerber said Mr.. Wier
sis evidently running for Office
and has to have some political
propaganda"
| Subcommittee members said
privately they doubted Mr.. Nc
MILAN would call the committee
for such a meeting. Mr.. McNil-
Ian was not Immediately avail.
able for comment.
Mr.. Williams said. II 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
the subcommittee as Wler is in
danger Of being fired by the
people of his district.
For Home Consumption"
ut sounds like tthe telegram)
was sent more for home con-
sumption than action by the
committee"
| Representative Broyhill. Re-
publican of Virginia, declined
comment on the telegram but
said Mr.. Gerber was fair" as
chief committee interrogation.
Mr.. Broyhill. like Mr.. Davis.
Mr.. 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
as courteous to witnesses and a
follower Of standard procedures.
In my opinion Mr.. Wier has
been misinformed," Mr.. Davis
said.
Clarifies Statement
Mr.. Davis today clarified his
statement Of yesterday that no
protecting radicals" are going to
stop the hearings. His state
ment was issued after Adlai E.
Stevenson. the Democratic pres,
identail candidate. had wired
the local chapter Of the National
Association for the Advance
Iment 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 a pro-
testing radical" Mr.. Davis said
he continues to support Mr.. Ste
vengon for President.
Representative Hyde, Republic
can Of Maryland, explained to-
day why he is not attending the
Isubcommittee,s hearings. He
said apparently there has been
some misunderstanding about his
inability to be present.
Early In August" he said in
"a statement, Il informed the
chairman Of this special fnvesti-
eating subcommittee that I