Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-19
Very Thin Stuff

in the matter of North American Air
lines, as 1t has been developed by DR..
Bernard Schwartz, strikes us as being
about as thin as thin can be.
DR.. Schwartz, who seems t. lave
talent for overstatement, referred to the
North American case last week when he
accused the House Subcommittee on
Legislative Oversight of trying to frus-
trate his plans to bring to light the
Vaccinations of the White House
clique in controlling decisions of these
Regulatory agencies" He has also
imputed grossly improper" activity to
MIR. Adams in connection with this
matter.
Well let's take a look at what Mr..
Adams, Assistant to the President,
actually did.
On June 26, 1858, he wrote a letter
to Murray Chotiner, one of Vice Presi-
dent Nixon'S campaign managers. This
letter evidently was in response to a
request for help in the North American
matter from Chotiner, who is a lawyer.
Mr.. Adams wrote that he had gone over
the matter carefully with the then
acting chairman of the Civil Aeronautics
Board. (The CAB had started proceed
lngs to revoke North Americans operat-
ing authority for violating regulations.)
Mr.. Adams also said that North Ameri-
can, II dissatisfied with the CAB ruling,
could appeal to the courts, and that this
might delay final action for as much as
two years. The CAB ruled against North
American, the case was taken to the
courts, and the courts upheld the CAB.
Just where is the gross improperly?
The Adams letter seems to us to be a
polite brush-off. Certainly he did not
influence the CAB, and he did not tell
Mr. Chotiner anything that the latter,
as a lawyer, did not already know.
DR.. Schwartz argues that what
North American wanted was delay, and
he complains because the CAB agreed
to stay, or hold up, its order pending the
court appeal. But what else could the
CAB have done? North American un-
queStionably had the right to appeal to
the courts. Does DR.. Schwartz think
that the CAB, by enforcing its order
Immediately, should have put North
American out of business before it had
its day in court. If so, this surely is
strange concept of justice.
What all of this adds up to, in our
opinion, is another example of the smear
at work. The Vice Presidents campaign
manager and the Assistant to the Presi-
dent are linked to "the Vaccinations of
the White House clique" The headlines
proclaim that Mr.. Adams has done
something grossly improper" But when
one wades through the transcript of the
testimony it is clear that Mr.. Adams did
nothing to control" the CAB decision,
and did nothing to rescue either Mr..
Chotiner or his airline client. Following
are two significant questions and an
Swers, as reported in the transcript:
O. Doctor, do you know how many
other people. Senators, Congressman, had
written to the CAB with reference to
this case?
A. Yes, there was tremendous pres
sure from all sides. both from the Con-
gresS. from the Executive and also out
side, generated primarily by North
American.
O. Sure, and Notwithstanding that
the CAB went ahead and put him North
Americana out of business?
A. Yes. eventually.
All of which leads us to the obvious
conclusion that neither the alleged
Vaccinations of the White House
clique" nor those Of any other clique,
were controlling the decisions of the
CAB.