Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-06

ranging its schedule to post
pone until next Wednesday the
temperance Of Richard A.
Mack who resigned under fire
this week as an FEC commits
sioner. But before the sub
committee quit for the day. it
had held morning and after
noon open hearings, two closed
sessions. and tried unsuccess-
fully to get an agreement on
whether to send formal invi-
tations to the Senators men
toned in previous testimony.
Choose New Counsel
The members did agree unan-
imously on selecting a chief
counsel to succeed DR.. Schwartz.
He is Robert w. Lishman. a
54-year-old Washington attor-
ney with extensive experience
in governmental and private
practice Of law. particularly in
administrative, utility and reg
ulatory problems.
Senator Kefauver wrote re-
Gently and stated again yester-
day that he exerted no i'm
proper influence in behalf of
Col. Frank Katzentine in the
Channel 10 case. Similar state
mentS were made by Senators
Holland and Smathers. All
three have expressed willing
ness to testify if the subcom-
mittee so requests.
Tells of 1854 Letter
Senator Smathers, Democrat
of Florida, disclosed today that
in February, 1854, he notified
an applicant for the Miami
Channel, 10. that he never
would intercede with the FEC.
He insisted that he has MAIN
tanned that policy and never
tried to pressure former Com
missioner Mack or anyone else.
The 1854 letter to the late
L. B. Wilson. one of three un-
successful applicants for Chan
mel 10, was forwarded to the
House subcommittee. 1t was in
addition to the longer letter
in which Senator Smathers ex-
planned in detail how he in
dorsed Mr.. Mack for appoint
ment in 1855 by President Eli
senhower. He said he men
toned the Channel 10 matter
on only two occasions in 1855
and 1856 and then only
casually without seeking any
commitment.
Senator Smathers denied
what he described as lire
sponsible and generally false"
allegations by Mr.. Baker that.
he had tried to prevent the
FEC from giving Channel 10
to the National Airlines sub
sidiary.
Request Disclosed ~ ~
The letter to Mr.. Wilson dis
closed that Senator Smathers,
asked Mr.. Wilson to remake
a will which had named him
coexecutof. Senator Smathers
made this request when he
learned that Mr.. Wilson was
an applicant for Channel 10
in 1854.
After the death of Mr.. Will
son, Senator Smathers said he
learned that the will had not
been revised and that he was
still a coexecutor. He recalled
that in the 1854 letter he spe-
officially informed Mr.. Wilson
that:
"It has been in the past and
will continue to be my policy to
take no part whatsoever in any
such contests before the Fec
since the law invests in the
FEC, a quasi-judicial body not
only the right and duty but the
sole responsibility to determine
which applicant can best serve
public need and necessity"
Explains Differences
AS for Mr.. Bakers charges,
Senator Smathers said his diff
ferences with the National Air.
lines president go back 10 years
and originated at the time of a
strike against the company. He
explained also that he long has
felt that. in general, an airline
company should not be given a
TV station license. He insisted,
however. that he made no at
tempt to persuade Mr.. Mack
or anyone elso to vote against
the National Airlines applica-
ton.
"Mr. Baker" Senator Smath-
ers charged, lis a desperate and
troubled man and while anx-
ious to hang on to some of his
possessions he is regrettably
willing to smear and besmirch
without regard for fact, truth,
or conscience"
A letter from Senator Mag
nuson. Democrat of Washing
ton, also was received by Mr..
Harris yesterday. He did not
release the text. He said it
was previously published and
contained an account OF Sem
ator Magnuson'S attitude in